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THE MANIAC.

"My brain was on fire. I replied not; but struck her violently in the face with my clenched fist. She fella corner of the fender en tered her temple-and she never moved again.

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wall, and the ring in the pillár being made to slide, permitted me to stoop or to stand upright. But when I did lie, it was only on my back, the sharp points in the girdle effectually hindering me from resting on my sides. Nor were the miscreants contented with this. They chained my right leg to the trough, in order, "A notion very generally prevails, that in- as they said, to guard against violence from sane persons, at least during the paroxysms of kicking. Standing and lying were according insanity, are ignorant of all things which pass ly the only changes of posture: I could not around them. The notion is not more common walk, for the chain which held me to the wall than erroneous. I have been the inhabitant of measured no more than twelve inches. My a cell for six long years,-mad, raving, out- garments rotted from my back, and were rerageously mad,--and there occurred not an placed by a blanket; my food was half-dressed event, either to myself or others, of which I lumps of beef without salt, and potatoes; and was not perfectly aware at the time, and of then for my amusement-music, I had music which I retain not now the clearest recollec--but it was the musie of damned spirits-the tion. I saw numbers of wretches, the slaves howls and execrations of the furious-the laugh indeed of a wayward fancy, but I never saw and shriek of the idiot;-these were the only one who felt not that he was not where he sounds to which I listened by day and by night, ought to be, or where nature designed him to till my beard had grown to my chest, and the be. For myself, I had no fancy. My sole de- nails of my fingers were like the talons of an sire, it is affirmed, was to destroy all who came eagle. within my reach, or to destroy myself. How was this prevented? You shall know.

"Having tried every other method in vain having torn my back with the whip-subjected me to the restraint of a strait waistcoatchained me down for days together to my crib --and finding, as it was affirmed, that I possessed craft enough to be calm till I was released, and only till then, the tyrants vented their spleen upon me thus. I recollect the occasion well, I had been for some time fastened by a long chain, which, passing through a hole in the partition, enabled the keeper, by going into the next cell, to draw me close against the wall at pleasure. This he was in the habit of doing several times a day, and then he lashed me till the exercise wearied his arm. If I had been violent before, such treatment of course increased my violence. I no sooner felt the chain tightened, than I roared like a wild beast; and when the brute appeared, armed, as he invariably was, with a heavy cart-whip, I gnashed my teeth upon him in impotent fury. But I had my revenge. With the straw allowed me in lieu of a bed, I so stuffed the chain, that it could not be forced through the aperture. One morning the wretch strove in vain to draw me up as usual; he failed, and trusting, I suppose, to the effect of habitual terror upon my mind, ventured to come within my reach. Ha, it was a glorious moment! Ishrank up, as I had been wont to do, into the corner, for the purpose of deceiving him; he followed, brandishing his whip, and prepared to strike. One bound brought him within my clutch. Sir, I had no weapons but my hands and feet, but they were sufficient. I caught him by the hair, dashed him on his face to the ground, and then planting my knees strongly upon his shoulders, I tore his head back till the joints of the neck began to give way. Fortunately for him, the struggle had been overheard, and assistance arrived just in time to save his worthless life.

"It was in consequence of that act that a new mode of restraint was exercised upon me. An iron collar was riveted round my neck, to which was attached a massive chain, only twelve inches in length. This was again made fast to a ring in a strong iron pillar, so formed as that it could slide upwards or downwards; the pillar itself being built into the wall, and of the height of six feet. Round my body another iron girdle of vast strength was soldered, about two inches in width, attached to which were two circular projections, one on each side, for the purpose of pinioning and restraining my arms. To keep the girdle in its place again, other bars crossed my shoulders, and were riveted to it both before and behind, whilst a couple of links connecting the collar with the shoulder-straps, and a couple of chains fastening the back bars to the pillar,-all power of moving head, hands, and arms, was taken away from me. Thus was I kept for four whole years. I could lie down, it is true, because my trough was placed close to the

Thus was it till a change took place in the arrangement of the asylum. How it came about, I know not: but after enduring this treatment for a series of years, I was one day set at liberty, and furnished with proper clothing. Whether my mind was ever in a state of chaos, I cannot tell. There are moments when I believe it. There are are others when I believe it not; perhaps it may be the case still.

"I was set free as one cured. They told me that my wife died from accidentally falling upon the fender, and that my grief for her decease turned my brain. Poor fools! they knew not that it was I who killed her.

THE DREAM.

As a folded flower she stilly sleeps-
You might deem them dreamless slumbers,
-But a low wild sound her breathing keeps
Like a night-wind's broken numbers.
And o'er her face is a fitful chase

Of hurrying lights and shadows;
Like the printless zephyr's noon-day race
On the slope of sunny meadows.
And one bright tear there rests between
Her dark and silken lashes;

It hath a dew star's tremulous sheen,

Or wave-bubble's moonlight flashes: The warm night air's astir in her hair, Like the tide in the long sea-weed When its last faint ebb is pausing there On the pale blossom's kiss to feed. The rose will dream of the nightingale

When he sings in woods far away; And the lark will dream in the twilight pale He is springing to welcome the day: But what may ye deem the lady's dream? And what busy spirit ranges Through the shades that fall, the lights that gleam

O'er her slumber's countless changes?. Is it à shadowy rainbow-form

Such as dwell in the torrent's shroud :
Or bright shape left by a summer-storm
On a roseate western cloud:

A masque of delight, 'tween dawn and night,
On the floor of unrisen dew;
Or pageant fair of the morning-light

On the Alp-snow's kindling hue?
Is it a radiant youth descending

In a sapphire beaming car;
With looks of love o'er a mortal bending

From his throne in the morning star:
Or one that doth bring from the fairy king
That love-roving sprite Oberôn,
Some dainty thing from an elfin ring,

Or a mirror of clear moonstone?
Whether a radiant form of light,

Whether a gliding-pageant show Of the morning air, or elfin sprite

Came to her sleep, ye may not know. To one alone shall be ever known

What shapes of light were in the gleam, And what were the shades and the low wild tone, And the trembling tear of the lady's dream.

DANGEROUS RENCOUNTER WITH ELEPHANTS IN SOUTH AFRICA.

[THE following account of a very perilous adventure was communicated by the gentleof the 21st Fusileers,) to Mr. T. Pringle, and man to whom it occurred, (Lieut. J. D. Moodie,

has been with his consent transferred to our

pages.-Ed.].

Or several remarkable adventures which I have had the fortune to experience in the course of my life, the most extraordinary certainly, was my hair-breadth escape from the elephant in South Africa. As I perceive that this has been rather inaccurately related in some late publications, and as you have expressed a wish to have my own account of the occurrence, I shall give you the details as nearly as I can recollect them.

In the year 1821, I had joined the recently formed semi-military settlement of Fredericksburg, on the picturesque banks of the Gualana, beyond the Great Fish river. At this place our party. (consisting chiefly of the disbanded officers and soldiers of the Royal African corps,) had already shot many elephants, with which the country at that time abounded. The day previous to my adventure, I had witnessed an elephant hunt for the first time. On this occasion a large female was killed, after some hundred shots had been fired at her. The balls seemed at first to produce little effect, but at length she received several shots in the trunk and eyes, which entirely disabled her from making resistance or escaping, and she fell an easy prey to her assailants.

On the following day, one of our servants came to inform us that a large troop of elephants was in the neighbourhood of the settlement, and that several of our people were already on their way to attack them. I instantly set off to join the hunters, but from losing my way in the jungle through which I had to proceed, I could not overtake them, until after they had driven the elephants from their first station. On getting out of the jungle, I was proceeding through an open meadow on the banks of the Gualana, to the spot where I heard the firing, when I was suddenly warned of approaching danger, by loud cries of "Pas-op-Look out!" coupled with my name in Dutch and English; and at the same moment heard the cracking of broken branches, produced by the elephants bursting through the wood, and the tremendous screams of their wrathful voices resounding among the precipitous banks. Immediately a large female, accompanied by three others of a smaller size, issued from the edge of the jungle, which skirted the river margin. As they were not more than two hundred yards off, and were proceeding directly towards me, I had not much time to decide on my motions. Being alone, and in the middle of a little open plain, I saw that I must inevitably be caught, should I fire in this position, and my shot not take effect. I therefore retreated hastily out of their direct path, thinking they would not observe me, until I should find a better opportunity to attack them. But in this I was mistaken, for on looking back I perceived, to my dismay, that they had left their former course, and were rapidly pursuing and gaining ground on me. Under these circumstances I determined to reserve my fire as a last resource; and turning off at right angles, in the opposite direction, I made for the banks of the small river, with a view to take refuge among the rocks on the other side, where I should have been safe. But before I got within fifty paces of the river, the elephants were within twenty paces of me-the large female in the middle, and the other three on either side of her, apparently with the intention of making sure of me; all of them screaming so tremendously, that I was almost stunned with the noise. I immediately turned round, cocked my gun, and aimed at the head of the largest-the female. But the gun, unfortunately, from the powder being damp, hung fire, till I was in the

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act of taking it from my shoulder, when it went off, and the ball merely grazed the side of her head. Halting only for an instant, the animal again rushed furiously forward. 1 fell-I cannot say whether struck down by her trunk or not. She then made a thrust at me with her tusk. Luckily for me she had only one, which still more luckily missed its mark. She then caught me with her trunk by the middle -threw me beneath her forefeet-and knocked me about between them for a little space:I was scarcely in a condition to compute the number of minutes very accurately. Once she pressed her foot on my chest with such force, as I actually felt the bones, as it were, bending under the weight; and once she trod on the middle of my arm, which, fortunately, lay flat on the ground at the time. During this rough handling, however, I never entirely lost my recollection, else I have little doubt she would have settled my accounts for this world. But owing to the roundness of her foot I generally managed, by twisting my body and limbs, to escape her direct tread. While I was still undergoing this buffeting, Lieut. Chisholm, of the R. A. corps, and Diederik, a Hottentot had come up, and fired several shots at her, one of which hit her in the shoulder; and at the same time her companions, or young ones, retiring and screaming to her from the edge of the forest, she reluctantly left me, giving me a cuff or two with her hind feet in passing. I got up, picked up my gun, and staggered away as fast as my aching bones would allow but observing that she turned round, and looked back towards me, before entering the bush, I lay down in the long grass, by which means I escaped her obser

vation.

On reaching the top of the high bank of the river, I met my brother, who had not been at this day's hunt, but had run out, on being told by one of the men that he had seen me killed. He was not a little surprised at meeting me alone, and in a whole skin, though plastered with mud from head to foot. While he, Mr. Knight, of the Cape regiment, and I, were yet talking of my adventure, an unlucky soldier of the R. A. corps, of the name of M'Clane, attracted the attention of a large male elephant, which had been driven towards the village. The ferocious animal gave chase, and caught him immediately under the height where we were standing-carried him some distance in his trunk-then threw him down, and, bringing his fore feet together, trod and stamped upon him for a considerable time, till he was quite dead. Leaving the corps for a little, he again returned, as if to make quite sure of his destruction, and kneeling down, crushed and kneaded the body with his fore legs. Then seizing it again with his trunk, he carried it to the edge of the jungle, and threw it among the bushes. While this tragedy was going on, my brother and I scrambled down the bank as far as we could, and fired at the furious animal, but we were at too great a distance to be of any service to the unfortunate man, who was crushed almost to a jelly.

Shortly after this catastrophe, a shot from one of the people broke this male elephant's left fore leg, which completely disabled him from running. On this occasion, we witnessed a touching instance of affection and sagacity in the elephant, which I cannot forbear to relate, as it so well illustrates the character of this noble animal. Seeing the danger and distress of her mate, the female before mentioned, (my personal antagonist,) regardless of her own danger, quitted her shelter in the bush, rushed out to his assistance, walked round and round him, chasing away the assailants, and still returning to his side and caressing him; and when he attempted to walk she placed her flank under his wounded side and supported him. This scene continued nearly half an hour, until the female received a severe wound from Mr. C. Mackenzie, of the R. A. corps, which drove her again to the bush, where she speedily sank exhausted from the loss of blood; and the male

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KEATS.

Fair thy young spirit's mould-
Thou from whose heart the streams
Of sweet Elysium roll'd
Over Endymion's dreams.

BLOOMFIELD.

Sweet bard, upon the tomb
In which thine ashes lie,
The simple wildflowers bloom
Before the ploughman's eye.

HOOD.

Impugn I dare not thee,
For I'm of puny brood;
And thou wouldst punish me
With pun gent hardi HOOD.
A MODERN PYTHAGOREAN.

THE PREMATURE WHITE HAT. [THE horrifying effect of a gross infringement of fashion, on its votaries, is well sketched below. Let the readers of the Atlas be warned against like transactions.-N. Y. Atlas.] I met a man in Regent street,

A daring man was he,

He had a hat upon his head

As white as white could be!
'Twas but the first of March!-Away
Three hundred yards I ran,
Then cast a retrospective glance
At that misguided man.

I thought it might be possible
To do so foul a deed,

Yet not commit the murd'rous acts
Of which too oft we read:

I thought he might have felt distress-
Have loved-and loved in vain-
And wore that pallid thing-to cool
The fever of his brain.

Perchance he had no relative-
No confidential friend

To say when summer months begin,
And those of winter end:
Perchance he had a wife, who was

Unto his side a thorn,

And who had basely thrust him forth,
To brave Decorum's storm!

But no-a smile was on his cheek!
He thought himself the thing!
And all unblushingly he wore

The garniture of Spring!
"Twas evident the man could not
Distinguish wrong from right!
And cheerfully he walked along
Unseasonably white!

Then unperceived I followed him,
Clandestinely I tried

To ascertain in what strange spot
So queer a man could hide:

Where he could pass his days and nights,
And breakfast, dine, and sup;
And where the peg could be, on which
He hung that white hat up!

He paused at WHITE's-the white capote
Made all the members stare!

He passed the Trav'ller's smoky Club
He had no footing there!
He stood a ballot once, (alas!

There sure was pique in that)
Though they admit light-headed men,
They black-ball'd the white hat!
But on he went, self-satisfied,
And now and then he'd stop
And look into the looking-glass
That lines some trinket-shop;
And smilingly adjusted it!---

'Twas that which made me vext-
"If this is borne," said I, "he'll wear
His nankeen trowsers next!"
The wretched being I at length
Compassionately stopt,

And used the most persuasive words
Entreaty could adopt:

I said his head was premature

I never left his side

Until he swore most solemnly

The white had should be dyed. T. H. B.

RELIGIOUS HEROISM.
[From the German of Zimmerman.]
"Go, Lictor, lead the bishop forth,
Let all the assembly stay,
For he must openly abjure

His Christian faith to-day."
The Prætor spake the Lictor went,
And Polycarp appear'd;
And totter'd, leaning on his staff,
To where the pile was rear'd.

His silver hair, his look benign,

Which spake his heavenly lot, Mov'd e'en to tears both youth and age, Yet mov'd the Prætor not. The Heathen spake: "Renounce aloud Thy Christian heresy!"

"Hope all things else," the old man cried,
"Yet hope not this from me!"
"But if thy stubborn heart refuse
The Saviour to deny,

Thy age shall not avert my wrath,
Thy doom shall be-to die!"
"Think not, O Judge, with menaces
To shake my faith in God;
If in his righteous cause I die,
I gladly kiss the rod.'

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"Blind wretch! doth not the funeral pile Thy vaunting faith appal?"

"No funeral pile my heart alarms,

If God and duty call!"

"Then expiate thy insolence;
There perish in the fire;
Go, Lictor, drag him instantly
Forth to the funeral pyre!"
The Lictor dragg'd him instantly
Forth to the pyre: with bands
He bound him to the martyr-stake,
He smote him with his hands.
"Abjure thy God," the Prætor said,
"And thou shall yet be free:"
"No," cried the hero, "rather let
Death be my destiny!"

The Prætor bowed; the Lictor laid
With haste the torches nigh:
Forth from the faggots burst the flames,
And glared athwart the sky!
The patient champion at the stake,
With flames engirdled, stood;
Calm-patient-look'd he heavenwards,
And scal'd his faith with blood.

Varieties.

D. H. L.

[From the Wilkesbarre Democrat, March 23.] A panther was shot in Drinker's settlement on the 3d inst., by Daniel Scott. You will please publish the following account of it, which is as near as may be in the hunter's language.

He says he was sauntering along with his rifle not far from his residence, thinking it probable he might get a chance at some wolves, whose track he had seen some days previous, when he heard a great fuss in a swamp a short distance ahead of him, and immediately after, his dog came running toward him evidently very much alarmed, but his courage being raised by his master's presence, he returned to the swamp-Scott following at double quick time, pecking round pretty sharp to see what was up.

At length he came near enough to see the cretur, who sot on a little knoll, moving his tail about, and wriggling like a cat, with his head near the ground.-Scott guesses he was about four rods from him, but the tarnal fellow did not perceive his approach, (having his eyes on the dog, and preparing to spring) until he gave a whistle, when he raised himself up and showed his breast, at which the hunter took deliberate aim, and shot him through the heart and livers. He was a fine fellow, in the prime of life, six feet and a half from tail to snout.

No doubt he had feasted well on venison during the winter, as he was in such good case that Mrs. Scott got fat enough from him to make, half a barrel of soap.

[From the Vermont Standard.] Wedding Fee-Mr. Copeland, I have concluded it would save some labour, both for the young gentlemen who are fixing to cross the line of celibacy, and who may be disposed to come from Whiting or elsewhere, of the same distance, to invite a minister to go from this place, through muddy roads, &c. some 10 or 12 miles, to perform for them the pleasing and interesting ceremony of matrimony, and receive the small sum of one silver dollar for his | pay; and for the ministers who may be called to solemnize matrimony for such persons, without knowing what they are to receive as a remuneration for the loss of their time, yea, their dinner too, the use of a horse and carriage, and the loss of their horse's dinner too, and their personal services. I say, I have concluded it will save both parties some labour, to give public notice at this time; that, as for myself, I wish those persons who are calculating to pay a dollar, and who expect that this sum will be satisfactory remuneration for such services, not to call on me to attend their marriages. And I am quite confident that none of the ministers in this place wish for such calls.

I now confess, sir, I have been put to the test in this matter, and now I wish to avoid all such calls. J. Z. NICHOLAS.

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The Heirs of Fulton.-A writer in the Virginia Literary Museum, has suggested a new plan for rewarding the children of Fulton for the services rendered the American people by their father. The plan strikes us as a feasible one, and we commend it to public attention. He suggests

"1. That the proprietors of each steamboat provide a box to receive contributions for the

benefit of Fulton's heirs.

2. That every passenger be invited, without importunity, to contribute one cent.

3. That one cent of the passage money of every passenger who may not choose to contribute, be set apart to supply the deficiency.

4. That the proceeds thus distributed, be remitted on the first day of every month, or as soon after as practicable, to the Bank of the United States, in New York, on account of Fulton's children.

In this way, a liberal provision may be made, without being felt by any body, for the family of one of the greatest, if not the very greatest, of our public benefactors. Had Fulton been a subject of the emperor of Russia, he had probably been ennobled, and certainly enriched. Had he been a subject of Great Britain, he would have experienced the bounty of both King and Parliament; and being a citizen of our Republic, there seems to be a peculiar fitness and propriety, that the reward of his useful labours should be bestowed by the people. Such a spontaneous act on their part, would be honourable to the character of the nation, both for intelligence and liberality."

A lively modern writer observes, that there is a class of railers who claim it as their privilege to laugh at every thing they do not understand, and who are, consequently, never without something to laugh at.

Thumping won't make a Gentleman.-Two eminent members of the Irish bar, Messrs. Doyle and Yelverton, quarrelled, some years ago, so violently, that from words they came to blows. Doyle, the more powerful man, (at the fists at least,) knocked down his adversary twice, exclaiming with vehemence, “You scoundrel, I'll make you behave yourself like a gentleman!" To which Yelverton, rising, answered with equal indignation, "No, sir, never; I defy you, I defy you!,you can't do it!"

The Siamese Youths.-A lady, who had lately visited the Siamese brothers, being asked by a gentleman if they seemed fond of each other, replied, “Really, sir, I never saw so strong an attachment."

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Why is my wise aunt like a fashionable watering-place?-Because she's a Bright un. Why is an urn, when it has ceased boiling, like a quiet man?-Because it is tacit urn. When was B the first letter of the alphabet? -In the time of No A. (Noah.)

Why is an industrious lady like a foot-stool? -Because she's no table. (notable.)

When is an alderman most like a ghost?— When he's a goblin. (gobbling.)

On one John Davis alias Borrow, who was convicted at the last Lent Assizes, at Taunton, of forging the name of Mr. Tooke:John Davis, I say it in sorrow, Was a thief in his very look; He took the name of Borrow,

And borrowed the name of Tooke.

Irish Liquors.-In the present volume of the Cabinet Cyclopædia, by Professor Donovan, is a whimsical proof of the country of the author: opium and tobacco-smoke are classed under the head of intoxicating liquors.

Obstinacy-If we can trust a current tradition, contests between the pulpit and the throne occurred more than once in the face of dilating before James's face on some matter the congregation. It is said, a young preacher, highly offensive to him, the monarch lost patience, and said aloud, "I tell thee, man, either to speak sense or come down."-To which reasonable request, as it might be thought, the "And I tell thee, preacher stoutly replied, man, I will neither speak sense nor come down."--Sir. W. Scott's History of Scotland.

THE LITERARY PORT FOLIO.

It is intended that this journal shall contain such a variety of matter as may make it acceptable to ladies as well as to gentlemen; to the young as well as to the old. While we shall take care that nothing be admitted which would render the work unfit for any of these classes, we shall endeavour to procure for it sufficient ability to entitle it to the attention of all of them. To these ends we have secured an abundant supply of all foreign and do mestic journals and new books-and we ask the assistance of all who are qualified to instruct or amuse the public. Upon this assistance we depend in a great degree for our hopes of success, for however the abundant stores to which we have access, may enable us to supply matter highly interesting to our readers, we think it of even more importance to give them something peculiarly adapted to the present time and circumstances; something from home.

Communications should be addressed to " E. Littell for the Literary Port Folio,"-and subscriptions will be thankfully received by E. Littell & Brother, corner of Chestnut and Seventh streets, Philadelphia. Subscriptions are also received by Thomas C. Clarke, N.W. corner of Chestnut and Seventh streets.

Wanted to solicit subscriptions for this work, a suitable person. Apply to E. Littell Brother.

No. 19.

PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MAY 13,

Terms.-Published every Thursday by E. Littell & Brother, corner of Chestnut and Seventh Streets, Philadelphia. It will contain four handsome engravings every year. Price Two Dollars and a Half a year, payable in advance.

Agents who procure and forward payment for four subscribers, shall receive the fifth copy for one year; and so in proportion for a larger number.

BEARS IN SWEDEN.

[From a Review of Mr. Lloyd's Field Sports of the North of Europe.]

"WHEN a sportsman first visits Sweden, he would be led to imagine, from the nature of the country, that game might be very abundant: but he will soon find the contrary to be the case; for he may often walk for hours together in the finest shooting grounds imaginable, without finding a bird or other animal. For awhile, 1 was at a loss to account for this scarcity, which I knew not whether to attribute to the climate, the vermin, or other cause. But after passing some time in Sweden, iny wonder ceased; and it was then no longer surprising that there should be so little game, (I here speak of the country generally,) but that there should be any at all; as, from the constant war that is carried on against it throughout the whole year, and this in spite of the laws enacted for its preservation, one would be inclined to think game would be exterminated altogether. In the summer, and often when the birds are hardly out of their shells, the slaughter is commenced both with traps and guns; and during the subsequent long winters, of some five or six months' duration, every device which the ingenuity of man can invent, is put into execution to destroy them. The spring of the year, however, during the period of incubation, is the most fatal, to the Teathered tribe; for at that time birds of course, more casy of approach, and they are then, at least such is the case in most parts of Sweden, destroyed without mercy."

are,

Even the bears are slain in their wintersleep; and, in short, there seems to be no sort of security for fish, fowl, or flesh, feræ naturæ, in all the land or waters of Scandinavia. The race of our friend Bruin has thus been nearly extirpated, in spite of all their saving qualities of running, walking, swimming, scratching, clawing, tearing, patting, biting, hugging, and snoozing,-for indeed their persecutions appear to be what no bear could bear.

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"The female bear carries her young about six months, and brings forth when in her den at the end of January, or in the course of February. The cubs, when first born, are very small; not, however, mishapen lumps, as it used to be said, which the mother licked into form, but bears in miniature. She has from one to four at a birth, which she suckles, according to Mr. Forsell, until the summer is well advanced.' Although the mother takes no nourishment during the time she continues in her den, she nevertheless preserves her condition tolerably well, and her teats furnish milk in abundance; for this reason, the cubs are usually found to be very fat when they are taken in the den. Should she again be with young in the same year, she does not, according to Mr. Falk, suffer her former cubs to share her den the next winter, but prepares them quarters in her neighbourhood: the succeeding summer, however, she is followed by both litters, who pass the ensuing winter, all together, in the mother's den. Though I cannot from personal observation verify the latter statement, I have reason to believe it is true; indeed, one of the most celebrated chasseurs in the north of Europe, an occasional companion of mine in the forest, assured me that he himself once found two distinct litters of cubs in the same den with the mother. She-bears,'

Mr. Falk farther observes, do not breed three years in succession: when the young are of a proper growth, (which, I believe, is not until they are three years of age,) she separates from them entirely.' The bear is a fast and good swimmer, and in hot weather bathes frequently; he climbs well, but in descending trees or precipices, always comes down backwards. His sight is sharp, and senses of hearing and smelling are excellent: for these reasons, it is not often that he is to be seen. He walks with facility on his hind-legs, and in that position can bear the heaviest burdens. Indeed, Mr. Nilsson says, 'a bear has been seen walking on his hinder feet along a small tree (stock) that stretched across a river, bearing a dead horse in his fore-paws.' Though his gait is awkward, the bear can, if he pleases, as I shall by and by have occasion to show, go at a great pace. According to Mr. Falk, he grows to about his twentieth, and lives until his fiftieth year. The Scandinavian bear, the male at least, (for the female is smaller,) occasionally attains to a very great size. Indeed, I myself killed one of these animals that weighed four hundred and sixty pounds; and as this was in the winter time, when, from his stomach being contracted, (which, as I have just now stated, is the case with those animals at that season of the year,) he was probably lighter by fifty or sixty pounds than he would have been during the autumnal months. Mr. Professor Nilsson states, that they attain to five hundred weight.' Mr. Falk, however, goes much farther; for he says, in his little pamphlet, that he once killed a bear in a skall,

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so uncommonly large, that when slung on a pole, ten men could with difficulty carry him a short distance.' He adds farther, His weight could not be precisely stated; but, according to his opinion, and he had seen numbers of large and small bears, 'he weighed unflayed at least two skippunds victualic weight, or near seven hundred and fifty pounds English.' This bear, which was killed during the autumnal months, Mr. Falk described to have had so enormous a stomach as almost to resemble a cow in calf. This animal's skull, however, which is now in my possession, is not at all remarkable in point of size. He did not die tamely; for, after receiving several balls, he dashed at the cordon of people who encompassed him on all sides, and, according to the same author, severely wounded no less than seven of them in succession. One of the men he bit in thirty-seven different places, and so seriously in the head, that his brains were visible.' Though the people gallantly endeavoured to stop the progress of this monster, he broke through all opposition, and for the moment made his escape: very fortunately, however, a minute or two afterwards Mr. Falk succeeded in putting him hors de combat. Though this bear was of so enormous a size, one of Mr. Falk's under-keepers, the most celebrated chasseur in that part of the country, who saw it, and of whom I shall have occasion to speak much hereafter, assured me he himself had killed one still larger, the skin of which was, by his account, of such an extraordinary size, that I am really afraid to repeat its dimensions. He added farther, that its fat alone weighed one hundred weight, and that its wrists (in formation much resembling those of a human being) were of so great a thickness, that with his united hands, which were none of the smallest, he was unable to span either of them by upwards of an inch. This bear, however, he admitted, was very considerably larger than any other that he ever killed; indeed, by his account, it must have been a Daniel Lambert among his species. The powers of such animals as those of which I have just been speaking, must of course be treinendous; and it can,

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therefore, readily be imagined, that the inhabitants of Scandinavia have some little reason for the saying common among them, that the bear, together with the wit of one man, has the strength of ten. Some better idea of the prowess of a large bear may, however, be formed, when I state, on the authority of Mr. Falk, that several instances have occurred in Wermeland, within the last few years, of their climbing on to the roofs of cow-houses: these they have then torn off; and having thus gained admittance to the poor animals contined within, they slaughtered and actually carried them away by shoving, or lifting them through the aperture by which they themselves had entered. I have heard of another bear, which, after being desperately wounded, ran at the man who fired at him, who took refuge behind a young tree; this the bear then embraced with his arms, thinking possibly it was his opponent he had got hold of: he was then, however, in his last agonies, and presently fell dead to the ground, tearing up the trees by the roots in his fall."

The annexed is an illustration of the instinct of these animals:

"As soon as the old bear heard the people advancing upon her, she drove her cubs, as is usually the case when they are in danger, up into the trees, or into holes and other places of concealment, for safety. This was known from the cries of the cubs; for on these occasions, the mother generally resorts to considerable violence to accomplish her purpose. She then continued her retreat."

Frederick the First, who ruled in Sweden about a hundred years ago, was a famous bearhunter, and the archives of the state retain authentic records of his exploits. The following are specimens, and written by M. Schönberg, the king's principal chasseur, the then Lord Maryborough of Sweden:

"The 15th of January, 1722, I had the honour to organise this hunt (which was only one thousand six hundred paces in circumference), likewise in the parish of Tuna in Dalecarlia, in which four bears were ringed; and although, according to orders, fires were lighted behind the nets, &c. surrounding the skallplats, yet the bears never moved out of their quarters; all the four lay quiet together in a sand-bank. Wherefore, when his majesty came to the hunt, he resolved to shoot them in the don, which was executed in the following manner: I advanced before, carrying on my arm one of his majesty's rifles; immediately after, his majesty followed in person; after him huntsman Floton with two rifles on his arm and after him, Colonel Lars Hierta, who had also a rifle. It was farther ordered, that a huntsman should follow fifty or sixty paces behind, with a couple of the large hounds; and that the other huntsmen should stand ready, with the whole of the dogs, immediately within the nets; but that all the other attendants should remain without. When I, who went before, came so near that I could see where the bears lay, I showed them to his majesty, and presented to him his rifle, who immediately fired at one who sat himself up in the den when he saw us; which was pointed so well, that he instantly fell dead, having received the ball between the eyes. The others, notwithstanding this, never moved, but lay perfectly quiet, as if they had been dead. The huntsman, directly after the first shot, presented to his majesty one of the rifles which he carried, and I took back the one that was discharged, when the king fired a second time; and as the bears still remained quiet, the huntsman delivered to him the other rifle, and took from him the second that was discharged, when his majesty immediately fired a third shot at the bears; but even yet not one of them moved. Upon this,

the king would not fire again, but ordered that in case any bear was still alive, the dogs should be set upon it, and for that purpose they were unloosed. But as the dogs did not see the bears, or know where the den was, they ran backwards and forwards within the skall-plats, until I was ordered to go to the den to see how matters stood. The bears permitted me to approach within four or five paces, when three of them sprang out, the fourth remaining dead on the spot. Two of those that sprang out had both been shot through the body, and the third was quite untouched. The two that were wounded were taken by the dogs; but the third, which was not wounded, was driven on to his majesty's skreen, where Colonel Hierta and the other gentlemen of the suite received permission to go and shoot him, and which they accordingly did. His majesty, in the mean time, proceeded to the parsonage at Tuna, highly pleased at this extraordinary sport, and at the gratification he experienced in getting three shots at bears in their den, as it was the first time the king had had an opportunity of shooting at any bear in his winter quarters, and which also never happened again. When the hunt was over, his majesty proceeded the next day to Stockholm, and I received permission to shoot the four bears which I had reported to him were ringed in Westmanland, and which I also did three days afterwards on my journey home. In the wood called Har, near Nötbo, there lay a capital bear ringed; but as this bear, when the hunt was about half driven, ran on the people, and severely wounded four or five men, the king ordered that all the dogs which amounted to about sixty, should be let loose upon him, which was accordingly done, when he at once killed six or seven of them; but he was afterwards mastered by the others, so that I was enabled to give him a couple of thrusts through the body with my hanger, which, together with his life, put an end to all his fury and ferocity.' The dogs, in the time of King Frederick, were, to judge by the representation of those animals at Drottningholm, of a very superior kind to what one generally sees in Sweden at the present day. They appear to have been large and powerful brutes, and are represented with spiked collars about their necks, in actual conflict with the bear. These dogs, however, were said, if I remember right, to have come from Germany or Russia. Among other anecdotes relating to Frederick the First, that came to my knowledge, the following, which was obligingly furnished to me by Captain Ehrenlund, of the Swedish army, may not be altogether uninteresting: I give it in that gentleman's own words. In the year 1737, a skall was organized near the village of Hallsta, in the parish of Tierp, in the province of Upland, at which a large bear was found and driven out of his retreat, but did not advance to the king; neither had it escaped through the line of huntsmen. The king, displeased at not getting a shot, reprimanded his ranger, or royal huntsman, Schönberg, who conducted the hunt, and insisted that no bear had been roused. In vain did Schönberg allege that several persons had seen the bear; and that he supposed the same was concealed in a hole, under a hill, which lay within the skall-plats; and he requested permission to make another attempt with his men to find him. The king, who did not accede to this proposal, set off, evidently displeased, to the residence of the clergyman in the parish of Heidunge, situated in Westmanland, about thirty miles from Tierp, in order that he might, on the following day, shoot a female bear with two young ones, which were in the neighbourhood. Schönberg, much mortified at this event, asked one of his assistants, a determined man of the name of Hillerström, how the king could be convinced that the bear was still remaining in the skall-plats? To which the latter answered, If I can get made to-night, at Ulfors forge, some iron shears (Jern-Saxar), and am furnished with money to pay some strong fellows whom I know, I shall endeavour to take

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the bear (which is certainly to be found under the hill) alive, and convey him afterwards to Huddunge.' Schönberg, fully convinced of Hillerstrom's courage, consented to his wishes; and upon that drove on to Huddunge, where he had also to conduct a hunt. Hillerström, provided with the iron shears and strong ropes from the aforesaid forge, proceeded to the hill, kept watch on the bear during the night; and, after several vain attempts to get him out, he daringly crept into the hole, and poked him with a long stick; upon which the bear rushed past him; but in so doing, from the narrowness of the opening, he gave him a violent squeeze. The people, however, who were placed on the outside, on his bolting from his lair, instantly pressed him down with four iron shears, which they judiciously applied to his neck and loins; and they at the same time gave him a severe blow on the forehead, with the flat or back-side of an axe, which had the effect of stunning and disabling him. The bear was now bound on a sledge, and conveyed to Huddunge parsonage, where the king passed the second night, after he had shot the beforementioned three bears, and was consequently in good humour. Hillerström, before daybreak, arrived with the bear, and immediately informed Schönberg of the fortunate result of the undertaking, who requested and obtained permission to see the king as soon as he was awake. Upon which, Schönberg reported that the bear, who at the Tierp hunt had escaped into the cavern under the hill, had been taken by Hillerström, and at present lay alive, bound in the court-yard. The king, both astonished and pleased, desired Hillerström to be called in, that he might hear his account, how he had captured the bear. After which the king said to Schönberg, Here, I present you with my watch, on condition that you give Hillerström your silver one;'-and to Hillerström, 'You shall be furnished with a new huntsman's uniform, and receive from my stud at Strömsholm a good horse.' After breakfast, when the king was desirous to shoot the bear, which lay in the middle of the yard, opposite the steps leading into the house, (the German and Swedish huntsmen being formed on opposite sides,) he gave orders that the bear should be unbound, as he wished to shoot him as he ran off; but as the order was not given to any particular huntsman, all stood still, until the king, after some moments of general silence, said to Hillerström, 'You took the bear: you will, no doubt, venture to unbind him.' As the harmony between the Swedish and German huntsmen was never particularly good, Hillerström replied, as he went up to the bear, The Germans might surely be able to loosen him, when the Swedes could take him.' Hillerström leisurely cut, with his hunting-knife, the cords with which the bear was bound-all except one, which remained round the neck; but as he still lay quiet, Hillerström gave him a smart lash with his hunting-whip, on the hind quarters; upon which the bear sprang up, with a terrible growl, and was shot by the king ten or twelve paces from the sledge on which he had lain. The king then presented Schönberg with the rifle he had used. At the moment the bear sprang out of the sledge, several of the German huntsmen ran from their places to a little building in the vicinity; but all the Swedes stood immovable. To prove that the apprehension shown by the Germans was unfounded, the king ordered two pigeons to be taken from the dove-cot, the one blue, the other white, which should be thrown up by a German huntsman; at the same time naming which of them should be shot. The huntsman, who cast up both at the same instant, exclaimed, 'The blue, your majesty' and immediately the king, with his rifle, shot the blue pigeon.'

'The king, of whom I have just narrated so many anecdotes, had a very large lion presented to him by one of the Barbary powers. There were at this time several bears kept by the butchers about the shambles in Stockholm,

and his majesty, being anxious to witness a rencontre between one of these animals and the lion, ordered them to be brought into contact with each other. In the lion's den there were two apartments, into one of which the bear was introduced. On the lion, however, getting access to that animal, he found him posted in a corner; when, going up to him, he gave him a slight rap with his paw, as if to see of what materials his visiter was composed. The bear, not liking this kind of salutation, growled, and endeavoured to parry it. This made the lion angry; when with one fell swoop,' with his paw, as the story goes, he laid the bear dead at his feet. It is, of course, idle to make a comparison between the powers of the lion and the bear from the anecdote I have just related. I think, however, that there are bears to be found in the Scandinavian forests, that even the lord of the African deserts would find some difficulty in annihilating at a single blow."

The following are more modern anecdotes of bear-hunting, even of the present day. In 1790, a skall (that is, the surrounding of a tract by a cordon of persons, and driving all the animals, by closing in, to a centre), conducted in the usual way, led to this incident:

"One man, an old soldier, who was attached to the hallet, or stationary division of the skall, thought proper to place himself in advance of the rest in a narrow defile, through which, from his knowledge of the country, he thought it probable the bear would pass. He was right in bis conjecture, for the animal soon afterwards made his appearance, and faced directly towards him On this he levelled and attempted to discharge his piece; but, owing to the morning being wet, the priming had got damp, and the gun missed fire. The bear was now close upon him, though it is probable, that if he had stepped to the one side, he might still have escaped; but, instead of adopting this prudent course, he attempted to drive the muzzle of his gun, to which, however, no bayonet was attached, down the throat of the enraged brute. This attack the bear parried with the skill of a fencing-master; when, after wresting the gun out of the hands of the man, he quickly laid him prostrate. All might still have ended well; for the bear, after smelling at his antagonist, who was lying motionless and holding his breath, as if he had been dead, left him almost unhurt. The animal then went to the gun, which was only at two or three feet distance, and began to overhaul it with his paws. The poor soldier, however, who had brought his musket to the skall contrary to the orders of his officers, and knowing that if it was injured he should be severely punished, on seeing the apparent jeopardy in which it was placed, quietly stretched out his hand, and laid hold of one end of it, the bear having it fast by the other. On observing this movement, and that the man in consequence was alive, the bear again attacked him; when, seizing him with his teeth by the back of the head, as he was lying with his face to the ground, he tore off the whole of his scalp, from the nape of the neck upwards, so that it merely hung to the forehead by a strip of skin. The poor fellow, who knew that his safety depended upon his remaining motionless, kept as quiet as he was able; and the bear, without doing him much further injury, laid himself along his body. Whilst this was going forward, many of the people, and Captain Eurenius among the rest, suspecting what had happened, hastened towards the spot, and advanced within twelve or fifteen paces of the scene of action; here they found the bear still lying upon the body of the unfortunate man: sometimes the animal was occupying himself in licking the blood from his bare skull, and at others in eyeing the people:-all, however, were afraid to fire, thinking either that they might hit the man, or that, even if they killed the bear, he might in his last agonies still farther mutilate the poor sufferer. In this position, Captain Eurenius asserted that the

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