for the ship, one of the men having strayed from the rest was greatly frightened by the appearance of a large lioness, who made towards him; but on her coming up, she lay down at his feet, and looked very earnestly first at him, and then at a tree a short distance off. After repeating her looks several times, she arose, and proceeded onwards to the tree, looking back several times, as if wishing the man to follow her. At length he ventured, and coming to the tree, he perceived a large baboon with two young cubs in her arms, which he supposed were those of the lioness, as she couched down like a cat, and seemed to eye them very steadfastly. The man being afraid to ascend the tree, decided on cutting it down, and having his axe with him, he set actively to work, when the lioness seemed most attentive to what he was doing. When the tree fell, she sprung upon the baboon, and after tearing him to pieces, she turned round and licked the cubs for some time. She then returned to the man and fawned round him, rubbing her head against him in great fondness, and in token of gratitude for the service he had done her. After this, she took the cubs away one by one, and the man returned to the ship.

REV. W. MOMPESSON.

WHILE France justly boasts of "Marseilles' good bishop," who was the benefactor and preserver of his fellow creatures, England may congratulate herself on having cherished in her bosom a parish priest, who, without the dignity of character, and the extent of persons over whom M. de Belsunce distributed the blessings of

bis pastoral care, watched over the smaller flock committed to his charge at no less risk of his life, and with no less fervour and benevolence.

The Rev. W. Mompesson was Rector of Eyam in Derbyshire, in the time of the plague that nearly depopulated the town in the year 1666. During the whole time of the calamity, he performed the functions of the physician, the legislator, and the priest of the afflicted parish; assisting the sick with his medicines, his advice, and his prayers. Tradition still shows a cavern near Eyam, where this worthy pastor used to preach to such of his parishioners as had not caught the distemper. Mr. Mompesson entreated his wife to quit Eyam at the time of the plague, and to take her two children with her; but although she suffered the children to be sent away, she would not quit her husband; but remaining, caught the infection, and died. Mr. Mompesson, in a letter to his children, says, "She never valued any thing she had, when the necessity of her poor neighbours required it, but had a bountiful heart to all indigent and distressed persons."

FRIENDSHIP A GUIDING STAR.

MR. BLAINE, in his "Canine Pathology," relates, that a gentleman brought from Newfoundland a dog of the true breed, which he gave to his brother, who resided in the neighbourhood of Thames-street; but who having no other means of keeping the animal except in close confinement, preferred sending him to a friend living in Scotland. The dog, who had been originally disembarked at Thames-street, was again re-embarked at the

same place, on board a Berwick smack. During his stay in London, he had never travelled half a mile from the spot where he was landed. He had, however, con

tracted an affection for his master; and when he arrived in Scotland, his regret at the separation induced him to take the first oppportunity of escaping: and though he certainly never before travelled one yard of the road, yet he found his way back in a very short time to his former residence in London, but in so exhausted a state, that he had only time to express his joy at seeing his master, and expired within an hour after his arrival.

LION AND HIS KEEPER.

IN the menagerie at Brussels, there is a lion called Danco, whose cage was lately in want of some repairs, His keeper desired a carpenter to set about it, but when the workman came and saw the lion, he started back with terror. The keeper entered the animal's cage, and led him to the upper part of it, while the lower was refitting. He there amused himself for some time playing with the lion, and being wearied, he soon fell asleep. The carpenter fully relying upon the vigilance of the keeper, pursued his work with rapidity, and when he had finished, he called him to see what was done. The keeper made no answer. Having repeatedly called in vain, he began to feel alarmed at his situation, and he determined to go to the upper part of the cage, where, looking through the railing, he saw the lion and the keeper sleeping side by side. He immediately uttered a loud cry; the lion awakened by the noise, started up

and darted at the carpenter with an eye of fury, and then placing his paw on the breast of the keeper, lay down to sleep again. At length, the keeper was awakened by some of the attendants: he did not, however, appear in the least apprehensive on account of the situation in which he had placed himself, but shook the lion by the paw, and then gently conducted him to his fora mer residence.

ASSISTING THE AGED

M. DE BOUSSANELLE, captain of cavalry in the regi ment of Beauvilliers, mentions, that a horse belonging to his company, being, from age, unable to eat his hay or grind his oats, was fed for two months by two horses on his right and left who ate with him. These two horses, drawing the hay out of the rack, chewed it, and then put it before the old horse, and did the same with the oats, which he was then able to eat.

BEARS IN JEOPARDY.

A GREENLAND bear, with two cubs under its protection, was pursued across a field of ice by a party of armed sailors. At first she seemed to urge the young ones to an increase of speed, by running before them, turning round, and manifesting by a peculiar action and voice, her anxiety for their progress; but finding her pursuers gaining upon them, she carried, or pushed, or pitched them alternately forward, until she effected their escape.

I

In throwing them before her, the little creatures are said to have placed themselves across her path, to receive the impulse, and when projected some yards in advance, they ran onwards until she overtook them, when they alternately adjusted themselves for another throw.

AN ASS CAST AWAY.

IN March, 1816, an ass belonging to captain Dundas, R. N. then at Malta, was shipped on board the Ister frigate, captain Forrest, bound for Gibraltar, for that island. The vessel struck on some sands off the Point de Gat, and the ass was thrown over board, in the hope that it might possibly be able to swim to the land; of which, however, there seemed but little chance, for the sea was running so high, that a boat which left the ship, was lost. A few days after, when the gates of Gibraltar were opened in the morning, the guard was surprised by Valiant, as the ass was called, presenting himself for admittance. On entering, he proceeded immediately to the stable of Mr. Weeks, a merchant, which he had formerly occupied. The poor animal had not only swam safely to the shore, but without guide, compass, or travelling map, had found his way from Point de Gat to Gibraltar, a distance of more than two hundred miles, through a mountainous and intricate country, intersected by streams, which he had never traversed before, and in so short a period, that he could not have made one false

turn.