are at this moment enjoying at that remote part of the world*)—as far as I could see, nothing was to be gained but hard knocks, constant exposure, and an occasional ration of tough beef, to be usually masticated without the adjuncts of either bread or salt; I must confess that all my youthful patriotism and love of glory being pretty well starved and sweated out of my composition, on seeing my name in orders, as being struck off the strength of my old corps, instead of nobly offering to remain as a volunteer with Sir Harry Smith's force, I instantly took advantage of the opportunity to depart ;-" cut my lucky" without delay; and shook the dust off my shoes, as I left Kaffirs, "cattle-stealing," and Kaffirland, as I sincerely hoped for ever and a day. It was in the month of October-the gay spring of the southern hemisphere that I had embarked for Old England from Table Bay; and the flowery hills and dales of Wynberg and Constantia, the clear, pure, and elastic atmosphere I then breathed, contrasted strongly with the scene of dreary dampness and desolation which now presented itself to my sight, as I contemplated the half-drowned and deserted appearance of Regent-street, by the fast-waning light of a dull and murky December afternoon. What a strangely-constituted animal is man! Two or three short months before, as I passed many a rainy night enveloped in a wet sheepskin, beneath the dripping shelter of the "bush"-as I daily toiled under the mid-day influence of a fierce and scorching African sun-as Kaffir bullets and assagais came whizzing past from the cover of every clump of jungle or mass of rock-as faint with toil, heat, and thirst, I would often eagerly look out for a drop of water in some shallow and muddy vleyt-at such times what would I not have given to have been playing the "Devil's tattoo," during the dampest, the most dismal, the most cut-throat December day, on the drawing-room windows of the Junior United Service Club! Most gladly would I then have allowed any one to kick me down Regent-street, from the Quadrant, even unto Waterlooplace, provided that by submitting to such treatment, I could have been safely kicked into the very snug quarters where I then stood ! 66 Now that I had attained the object of my most anxious wishes-was a captain" and living at home" at ease❞—ungrateful dog that I was! as I turned from the window with sensations of lassitude and ennui, I am not sure that I did not wish myself again at the Cape! A waiter disturbed me from my meditations by closing the curtains of the window where I stood. As I sauntered carelessly towards the At a Peace Society meeting, held on the 22nd of January, 1851, to ascertain the causes of the war against the Kaffirs, one of the reasons alleged, was the great anxiety of the military to be engaged in hostilities, owing to the double pay and double rations which they then enjoyed. The military would no doubt be exceedingly indebted to the gentleman with the unspellable and unpronounceable name who expounded such doctrines, if he would kindly tell them to whom they are to apply for the "double pay" in question (perhaps to Messrs. Hume, Cobden, and Bright, or other of the peace-mongering gentry), or to furnish a specimen of the "double rations." Would he for the same double pay condescend to share with them junks of tough half-raw beef, often to be masticated or bolted, without either bread or salt? Small pools formed in South Africa during the rains; but whose coffeecoloured water is often so thick and muddy as to render it necessary, whilst drinking, to strain it through the closed teeth. fire-place, that usual resort of the idlers at a club, the magnificent apartment (which required only a little stretch of imagination for me to consider as my own) was suddenly illumined by the brilliant gas-lighted chandeliers, and disclosed to view my old friend Captain Jones (formerly of "our's") with his legs on a "gouty stool," most comfortably located in an easy chair by the fire-side. Jones was one of those contented philosophical mortals who manage to make themselves happy and comfortable wherever they may chance to be-who enjoy all the sweets of this world without troubling themselves about the bitters which they may sometimes likewise be found to contain. At the commencement of our military career we had served together in the same regiment in India, where we were inseparable companions in all the sports of the field. Jones obtained his company; his health had suffered considerably from climate-a little also from snipe-shooting-perhaps likewise from the exertions of uncorking occasionally too many bottles of Hodgson's pale ale-he had therefore thought it more prudent to retire on half-pay, in order to recruit his health at home; and had now long since become an habitué of the Junior United Service Club. “Ah, old fellow !" said I, placing myself in an arm-chair beside my friend; " I did not know you were to-day at the club. I am devilish glad to have met you; we will dine together; and you will perhaps assist me in dispelling the ennui and blue-devils which always assail me in legions during this infernal English weather." "We will dine together, with all my heart," replied Captain Jones; "and I'll gladly do all I can to rouse you; but I really don't see that you've much to complain of. You used to write in the same desponding strain from Fort Brown, Fort Cox, and I know not how many other forts, when you were amongst your lively friends the Kaffirs, and wishing yourself anywhere else than where you then were. Now you've got your company, and are snugly billeted at home; you have moreover the honour and advantage of being a member of one of the best clubs in town, and yet here you're grumbling like a bear with a sore head, because, forsooth, we happen to have a rainy day! Thomas Smith, Thomas Smith; I fear, indeed, that you are a discontented and an ungrateful individual." "I hope not," replied I; "but you must make some allowance for a poor devil turned suddenly adrift, as it were, upon the world, after having been so many years with the old corps, which I have always considered as my legitimate home." "Very true," answered Jones; "there are certainly many extenuating circumstances in your case. I must confess that I myself felt rather at fault' when first turned adrift on this cold, uncharitable English world; but I have managed to reconcile myself to my fate, and contrive now to rough it pretty well-as the Guards say, when they are forced, at the public expense, to dine off a plain joint, and drink port and sherry, whilst doing duty at St. James's. But, Dick," observed I, "you were always a happy-go-lucky, devilmy-care sort of fellow, laughing and making merry when others were weeping and gnashing their teeth. I wish to Heavens you would initiate me into your secret-at all events, how you manage to pass your time so agreeably as you ever appear to do." "The initiation you request," said my friend, "will not require either much time or trouble. In the first place, make it a rule never to allow any circumstance which you cannot control or prevent, to ruffle or discompose your temper in the least; let 'happy-go-lucky' as you call it, be ever your motto; take in good part everything as it comes. Next, always cut out for yourself some sort of employment, no matter what, to keep the devil, or the blue-devils, out of your mindAh!" replied I, "that's the rub. How do you manage to do Like a good fellow, just give me a sketch of your usual routine of life during the course of the year. 66 that? Willingly," answered Jones, "and this will serve to occupy us till it is time to feed. First, then, you must know I'm a great reader of all sorts of books. I read everything, from Paley's Evidences and Smith's Wealth of Nations, to Punch and Bell's Life in London. I have even in a small way commenced authorship, contribute occasionally to a periodical, and particularly (being still, as in days of yore, addicted to the merrie woodland craft') to that most excellent one, yclept The Sporting Magazine, whose courteous editor is so complaisant as seldom to reject an article from my pen. Well, this in itself gives me lots of occupation when I have nothing else to do; for, being still passionately fond of field sports, I continue to indulge in them during the season, as much as my limited means will allow. I hunt and shoot in the winter in every part of the United Kingdom, and, generally speaking, meet with civility wherever I go in quest of sport. In the spring and summer months, furnished with a knapsack and fishing-rod, I wander over Wales, Cumberland, the Highlands of Scotland-in fact, wherever chance or the caprice of the moment may direct; or, guided by the same wandering star, I take a run up the Rhine, a cruize on the Lake of Geneva, or a scramble up the Valley of Chamouni, go to Harrowgate, Malvern, Ryde, or Cheltenham. In short, I have always, at every season of the year, some object in view, some plan or another to carry into effect and as I somehow manage to scrape up acquaintances wherever I go, I generally in this manner-what with hunting, shooting, fishing, studying the pictureskue,' dancing, travelling, flirting, eating and drinkingreading and writing-manage to pass my time pleasantly enough, and always succeed in driving away your present horrible diseases of bluedevils and ennui.” “And a most excellent plan you appear to have hit on," observed I, "to expel the enemy out of the camp. I only wish you would take me into partnership, and initiate me into all the mysteries of your craft." "Most willingly, my dear fellow," replied my friend. "It is not, as you well know, the first time we have hunted in couples. We used to get on very well together in days of yore, and I don't see why we should not do so now. But come, let us go and see what joint there is for dinner, and whilst we eat our ‘khana' -as they say in India-I will tell you of a little sporting expedition I am contemplating, and in which I shall be most happy if you will join." The result of the after-dinner cogitations of Captain Jones and myself, was the resolve to start without delay on a sporting tour through the southern counties, commencing with the Isle of Wight; of which expedition (by way of making a beginning in authorship) it was decided that I should keep a sort of journal, a few extracts from which I beg now to submit, as the production of a beginner, to the courteous, and I trust indulgent, reader. * The resolution which we had come to was soon carried into effect, and a couple of days after the conversation which I have related we were rattling down by train from the Waterloo Station, for the purpose of crossing over from Southampton to the Isle of Wight. The "Island," as the Isle of Wight is called par excellence, was apparently one of my friend's favourite beats. He had, many years previously, first become acquainted with it by being quartered at Parkhurst Barracks with his depot; and such pleasing recollections did he ever retain of the agreeable time he had passed there as a jolly young sub, that he now generally paid it at least two visits in the year-during the summer for the yachting at Cowes and Ryde, and at this season in order to take a gallop with the Isle of Wight fox-hounds, and renew his acquaintance with the sporting farmers and gentry of the island; all, as he said, good hospitable fellows, who were always glad to see him during his occasional flying visits over the "Garden of England:" the appropriate denomination bestowed on that fairest province of which we can proudly boast. I was soon convinced that I could not have chosen a more efficient cicerone to this part of the world. Jones was passionately fond of the locality towards which we were being now rapidly conveyed by the allpowerful impetus of steam. As a man of reading and research-being moreover a bit of an antiquarian, and an author" to boot" in a small way he had much interesting information to impart relative to the Isle of Wight, which served to while away the tedium of our two or three hours' ride. "We used," observed he, " in former days, when I was quartered at Parkhurst, to have some capital shooting and hare-hunting-to say nothing of knocking over no end of puffins along the cliffs; but foxhunting was then never dreamt of; for, as in the days of old Sir Richard Worsley, who nearly a hundred years ago wrote an excellent history of the island, and to use his own words- neither fox, badger, nor polecat, was ever found in it.' In that respect it was known to be as free from vermin as auld' Ireland during St. Patrick's reign was said to have been from snakes and toads,' and as the Isle of France is from reptiles and mad dogs to the present day." "And how on earth," inquired I," did foxes first get a footing, and become so plentiful in the Isle of Wight, that in so limited a space they can afford, as you say, to hunt them five times a fortnight?” "I'll spin you that yarn when we get aboard the steamer," replied Jones; "for we are close to the Southampton terminus, and a cab will take us in five minutes to the pier, at the end of which we will find the steamer waiting for the present train." As the train stopped, we got into a cab, rattled off to the pier, and after being there plundered, only in a "small way" (for we were in light marching order, and encumbered with but little baggage), we embarked on board of one of the fine steamers which ply between Southampton and Cowes. It was during one of the most lovely days of our late mild and open winter, that we rapidly skimmed over the smooth Southampton water, and animated by the goodly scene which presented itself to our view on R either hand, my cicerone expatiated learnedly and eloquently on all that we then beheld. Netley Abbey, Hythe, Calshot Castle-all attracted my attention, and were well and ably described by my friend. "Now," said I, as we paddled out of this smooth and lovely sheet of water, and entered the Solent; " now, old fellow, for your promised yarn' about the introduction of foxes and fox-hunting into the Isle of Wight." 6 66 Well," replied Jones, "as I was telling you, we used in former days to have one or two capital packs of harriers in the island, and many's the jolly good run I've had with them over Gatcombe, Bowcombe, and Mottistone Downs; still, 'tis after all nothing like fox-hunting, and although the island fox-hunting does not exactly come up to Melton Mowbray, yet I've seen many a good day's sport with Mr. Cotton's well-managed little pack." "But, revenons à nos Renards: Some ten or fifteen years ago there were, as I said, two capital packs of harriers in the island: one kept by Mr. John Harvey, at his pretty residence at Marvel Wood, close to Newport; the other by a good old-fashioned squire, living in the eastern part of the island, whose son-so goes the story-with the connivance of a sporting lawyer, managed one fine day to import from the other side of the water, a couple of brace of foxes, which were duly conveyed in his dog-cart to the residence of the old squire, who had promised this lawless limb of the law a day's shooting with his son over the estate. The foxes were duly turned out; but the secret was kept, and nothing transpired for several months, except an occasional complaint of the Squire's gamekeeper that the remnants of a rabbit were now more fre quently to be found than had formerly been the case. It was on a fine evening during harvest, when, after the fatigues of the day, the old Squire sat in patriarchal fashion, smoking a pipe under the shadow of his porch, thinking probably with complacency of the numbers of quarters of wheat he had that day securely stacked, but never dreaming all the while of such a thing as free trade.' Had even so dire an apparition started suddenly before him from the earth, strangling, as it sprang to light, "monopoly" with one hand, whilst with the other it tendered the ". cheap loaf" to the expectant poor-had even, at that moment, such a phantom appeared in view, the good old Squire could not have looked more horrified or more aghast than he did on beholding, at that still and peaceful hour, what had never before been witnessed by the "oldest inhabitant" of the Isle of Wight-viz., a fox-yes, a real Fox, creeping stealthily across an adjacent field. Like Macbeth on beholding Banquo's ghost, so then looked the worthy Squire, who, had he not for the moment been struck mute with astonishment and rage, no doubt might thus have apostrophised his unexpected guest: "What man dare, I dare: Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, It was an incontestible fact that a beast of prey, of the dreaded genus vulpis," had actually been seen in the Isle of Wight, and this |