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fed on vegetables and roots. Cuvier thinks that they were furnished with a short trunk. The remains of these two quadrupeds have only been found in America; but it is considered that an animal of the same order, and of equal size and power, existed in Europe. The proof rests upon a single claw dug up near the Rhine.

THE LAWS OF THE ROAD.

The laws of the Road, are a paradox quite,
For when you are travelling along,

If you keep to the LEFT you'll sure to be RIGHT,
If you keep to the RIGHT you'll be WRONG!

THE ELEPHANT.

In the early periods of the Mogul empire elephants were armed for battle with preparations somewhat similar to the defences of warriors in the ages of chivalry. Dow, describing the elephants of Akbar, says, they wear plates of iron upon their foreheads." Vincent le Blanc mentions the elephants of the king of Ternassery as " of the largest size of the east, covered to the ground with beeves' hides, and, over them, with divers trappings. Those hides are fastened underneath the belly with iron chains, and are difficult to be got off." The Ayeen Akbery is more minute. "Five plates of iron, each one cubit long and four fingers broad, are joined together by rings, and fastened round the ears of the elephant by four chains, each an ell in length; and betwixt these another chain passes over the head, and is fastened in the kellaweh; and across it are four iron spikes with katasses and iron knobs. There are other chains with iron spikes and knobs hung under the throat and over the breast, and others fastened to the trunk; these are for ornament, and to frighten horses. Pakher is a kind of steel armour that covers the body of the elephant: there are other pieces of it for the head and proboscis. Gejjhemp is a covering made of three folds, and is laid over the pakher." Dow adds that a sword is bound to their trunk, and daggers are fastened to their tusks." But the mighty power of the animal in crushing the ranks of an enemy, was principally relied upon. The armour and the swords were to add to the dismay which an immense troop of elephants were of themselves calculated to produce. The emperor Akbar well knew their power in scattering masses of terrified men. On one occasion, when he stormed the fort of Chitar, the garrison retired to the temples. "Akbar, perceiving he must lose a great number of his troops in case of a close attack, ordered a distant fire to be kept up upon the desperate Rajaputs, till he had introduced three hundred elephants of war, which he immediately ordered to advance to tread them to death. The scene became now too shocking to be described. Brave men, rendered more valiant by despair, crowded around

the elephants, seized them even by the tusks, and inflicted upon them unavailing wounds. The terrible animals trode the Indians like grasshoppers under their feet, or winding them in their powerful trunks, tossed them aloft into the air, or dashed them against the walls and pavements. Of the garrison, which consisted of eight thousand soldiers, and of forty thousand inhabitants, thirty thousand were slain, and most of the rest taken prisoners."-In the rapid marches of this victorious prince, the elephants suffered greatly. Purchas, speaking of his progress from Kashire, in 1597, says, "This country he left when summer was past, and returned to Lahore, losing many elephants and horses in the way, both by famine, then oppressing the country, and the difficulty of the passages; the elephants sometimes, in the ascent of hills, helping themselves with their trunks, leaning and staying themselves, being burthened, thereon, as on a staff."-The power of the elephant in battle has fallen before the greater power of artillery and of scientific tactics. But it is little more than three centuries ago that the chief in India who possessed the greatest force of elephants was almost sure of victory. The Emperor Baber, in his Memoirs, gives a remarkable illustratation of the terror which the animal produced. "The troops who accompanied Alim Khan were dispersed, being busy plundering and pillaging. Sultan Ibrahim's troops perceived that the enemy were not in great force, and immediately moved forward from the station which they had kept, though very few in number, and having only a single elephant; but no sooner had the elephant come up, than Alim Khan's men took to flight, without attempting to keep their ground." Baber himself scarcely employed elephants in war, although descended from Timour, to whom their use was familiar; but he appears to have met their terror with a bold front. His expressions remind us of the quaint language of Bunyan: "I placed my foot in the stirrup of resolution, and my hand on the reins of confidence in God, and marched against Sultan Ibrahim, the son of Sultan Iskander, the son of Sultan Behlul Lodi Afghan, in whose possession the throne of Delhi and the dominions of Hindustan at that time were; whose army in the field were said to amount to a hundred thousand men, and who, including those of his Emirs, had nearly a thousand elephants."

Although from the earliest times ivory was an article of commerce in demand amongst all the people who traded with India, the elephant does not appear to have been employed as an animal of burthen even by the Persians and Assyrians, until a comparatively recent period. The camel was the principal medium of intercourse amongst those nations. Neither is the name of the elephant (a circumstance which shows that he was unknown to the early Jews) to be found in the Hebrew language.

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such a mark of distinction, that persons of quality seldom undertook a journey without their hawks and attendants.

It was no uncommon thing in those days to witness the falconer, with his dogs and hawks, following his master to battle; but it has almost ceased, by comparison, to be followed as a sport, except in a few instances, something after the change of circumstances in life, described by Pope :

Manners with fortunes, humours turn with climes; Tenets with books; and principles with times!

It is true, that the present Duke of St. Albans has made several attempts to revive the ancient sport of HAWKING, in his character of the Grand Hereditary Falconer of England

on his own estates, and he has also, during the time he took up his residence at Brighton, given the inhabitants of that fashionable watering-place some splendid displays of the above sport upon the neighbouring downs, attended by the Duchess of St. Albans, the Ladies Beauclerc, and also accompanied by several persons of quality, within the last three years.

The appearance of the Duke in the splendid dress of his office, and the rest of his attendants all apparelled in the costume attached to falconry, proved highly attractive to the spectators; indeed, it was quite a studied sort of affair, in order not only to render the pageant accurate as to taste, but complete as to the effect of the thing: in truth, there was a theatrical nicety about it altogether. But, nevertheless, HAWKING is not in fashion at the present day; or, perhaps to speak more correctly on the subject, it is not followed as a sport by the gentlemen composing the Sporting World. The race course; the chase; a coursing match; shooting, sailing, or cricket matches, appear to have far greater claims of attraction in their eyes, than the ANCIENT, and once much followed sport of HAWKING.

A very interesting exhibition of the above species of amusement took place on Thursday, October 7, 1824, in the neighbourhood of Amesbury, and was witnessed by a numerous field of sporting gentlemen and others attracted by curiosity. The hawks, six in number, were remarkably large and fine young birds; and their proprietor, Colonel Thornhill, directed the sport of the day, in the presence of Sir Hussey Vivyan, Sir Francis Burdett, Mr. Mills, and numerous other gentlemen, who were invited on the occasion. The scene of action was an extensive field of turnips, in which it was known that there were partridges in sufficient number for the purpose, and the ground was graced by several carriages containing ladies. The hawks were brought to the field by the Colonel's falconer and assistant, perching, hooded, upon a frame; the sportsmen and spectators were ranged on the ontside of the field; a fine bird was then taken from the perch by the falconer, unhooded, and permitted to fly. The hawk immediately towered, and lowered over the field, with his eyes intently bent towards the turnip plants in search of prey: he beat over the ground with evolutions similar to those of a pointer upon the ground. After a few minutes had elapsed, Colonel Thornhill ordered some boys to enter the field for the purpose of disturbing the birds; and a partridge at length arose, which was instantaneously seen by the hawk, though at a great distance. The hawk darted after it and struck it to the earth; but the partridge recovering, flew, as it were for protection, amongst the spectators; here it was pursued by the relentless hawk and killed. The other hawks were afterwards severally let loose, and all but one of them killed a par

tridge each; some of the latter were pursued and killed out of sight of the spectators; and it is highly worthy of remark, that the hawks had been so well trained that they invariabl❤ returned to the falconer at his call; and when out of sight and hearing, he attracted them by throwing into the air a lure, something resembling a stuffed partridge. The above exhibition afforded a most gratifying specimen of this ancient and very curious sport.

HAWKING, it appears, has occupied the attention of several of our first literary characters, as the following quotations most clearly point out :

Ride unto St. Alban's, Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk. Shakspeare. Do'st thou love hawking? Thou hast hawks will soar Above the morning lark. Id.

A faulcon, tow'ring in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed.

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A long-winged hawk, when he is first whisteled off the fist, mounts aloft, and for his pleasure fetcheth many a circuit in the ayr, still soaring higher and higher, till he become to his full pitch, and in the end, when the game is sprang, comes down amain, and stoops upon the sudden.

Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy.

Hawking comes near to hunting, the one in the ayre as the other on the earth, a sport as much affected as the other, by some preferred.

ld.

It can be no more disgrace, to a great lord to draw a fair picture, than to cut his hawk's meat.

Peacham

It will also be found in "The Guardian” of Massinger that he had not overlooked the Sports of the Field, from a delightful conversation which occurs respecting the ancient sports of HAWKING and hunting. Shakspeare, also, introduced a variety of sporting scenes in his plays; and in almost all the novels of Sir Walter Scott, he describes hunting, hawking, or shooting events. The Ettrick Shepherd has a tale denominated “The Eildon Hunt.” In Malpas, vol. i., several descriptions will be found both of hawking and hunting; and on? of the most important events in the "King of the Peak" takes place in a hunt. The sports of ancient Rome occupy half the first volume of Howison's Valerius.

A fine description of a stag-hunt is to be met with in the "Lady of the Lake;" and also Fielding has introduced the chase in his novel of Tom Jones, in which Sophia meets with an accident. In Don Quixote, an animated account of a Boar-hunt is given by the inimitable Cervantes: indeed, many other authors might be pointed out who have in their works given some very pleasing descriptions of the manly sports of "the olden times;" and also of very recent date may be quoted, Lloyd's Field Sports in the North of Europe; Captain Mundy's Pen and Pencil Sketches of the Sports of India; and Captain Basil Hall's Fragments of Voyages and Travels, all abounding with interesting accounts of sporting events of every character.

HAWKING BANQUET, AT KNOLE.

To Knole's famous seat, in the year sixty-two,
Four nobles came over from France;

They brought their stanch hawks the fleet hern to

pursue,

The bird with a beak like a lance.

Four falc'ners, all skilful, arriv'd in their train,
And my lord, if we credit report,

Resolv'd that their visit should not be in vain,
Most kindly prepar'd for their sport.

At Penshurst, blest seat of the Sidneys of old,
Or the tops of its high towering trees,

A hernry for ages, so story has told,

Has been rock'd and refresh'd by the breeze.

The day was delightful, the harvest all done,
And the farmers at rest from their toil,

Up the vast arch of Heav'n bright Phoebus had run,
And had drank up the pools on the soil.

On Chislehurst common, in gallant array,
The duke with his nobles were seen,

When the falc'ners prepared for the sport of the day,
All clad in their liv'ries of green :

Their hawks were unhooded and bold for the chase, When high floating in beautiful form,

A hern from her quarry was mark'd by his grace, When the crowd were like bees when they swarm.

A falcon selected was thrown to the wind,

A second and third to pursue,

While those in reserve were impatient behind,
To mount to the game bird in view.

The game knew her foes, and increas'd in her flight,
Yet boldly prepar'd to defend ;

Tho' her courage was great, yet unequal the fight,
For the hern had with three to contend.

Ah! this was a moment of matchless delight,
The birds were at war in the skies,

And the hawks on their pinions exerting their might,
To conquer and bring down the prize,

Full great was the concourse assembled below,
Rich and poor in the pleasure unite,

Every breast from his grace felt the rapturous glow,
At so novel so marshall'd a sight.

At length, overcome with fatigue and despair,
The hern strove for life to depart,
When the falcon, too eager her plumage to tear,
Felt her strong pointed beak in his heart.
Nor escap'd the game a less share of distress,
For the while she was wheeling around,
The falcon's sharp talons had struck her to death,
And they both fell like shot to the ground.
The hern's gaudy top, the pride of our knights,
The falc'ner swift tore from its place;
And now amidst shouts and the nighest delight,
Presented the prize to his grace.

The sport being over, my lord with his guest,
Return'd to a banquet at Knole,

Where they finish'd that day with a liberal zest
Which meanness could never control.

The nobles return'd to their gay Gallic court,
And report with the greatest delight,
That the Britons were equally brave in their sport,
As they were when led on to the fight.

According to the account of the late Colonel Thornton, one of the most practical sportsmen in the kingdom, and who was particularly attached to the amusement of Hawking, he thus describes the different species of hawks: -there are two kinds of the hawk, the long and the short-winged.

"The first year it is called a soarage; the second, an interview; the third, a white hawk; and the fourth, a hawk of the first

coat.

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Of the inferior :

The stangel, or ring-tail.

The raven and buzzard.

The forked kite and bold buzzard.
The hen driver, &c."

The French Kings had a grand falconer, an officer dismembered from that of grand veneux, as early as the year 1250. A falconer should be well acquainted with the quality and mettle of his hawks, that he may know which of them to fly early, and which late. Every night after flying he should give them casting; one while plumage, sometimes pellets of cotton, and and at another time physic, as he finds necessary. He ought also every evening to make the place clean under the perch, that by her casting he may know whether she wants scouring upwards or downwards. Ho must water his hawk every evening, except on such days as she has butted; after which, at night, she should be put into a warm room, having a candle burning by her, where she is to sit unhooded, if she be not ramage, that she may prick and prune herself. He should always carry proper medicines into the field, as hawks frequently meet with accidents there. He must take with him all his hawking implements; and should be skilful in making lures, hoods of all sorts, gins, bewits, and other furniture. He ought to have his coping irons, to cope his hawk's beak when overgrown, and to cut her pounces and talons as there shall be occasion; nor should his cauterising irons be wanting.

The Saxon dialogues in the Cotton Library

speak thus of the fowler :-" How do you deceive fowls ?" "Many ways; sometimes with gins, sometimes with lime, sometimes with whistling, sometimes with hawks, sometimes with traps." "Have you a hawk?" "I have." "Can you tame them?" "I can. What use would they be to me if I could not tame them!" "Give me a hawk?" "I will give it willingly if you will give me a swift hound; which hawk will you have, the greater or the less ?" "The less; the greater." "How do you feed them?" "They feed themselves and me in winter; and in spring I let them fly to the woods. I take for myself young ones in harvest, and tame them." "And why do you let them fly from you when tamed?" "Because I will not keep them in summer, as they eat too much. But many feed and keep them through the summer, that they may again have them ready." "So they do, but I will not have that trouble about them, as I can make many others."

In short, this diversion was among the ancient English the pride of the rich, and the privilege of the poor; no rank of men seems to have been excluded from it. We learn from the book of St. Albans, that every degree had its peculiar hawk, from the emperor down to the holy-water clerk. Vast was the expense that sometimes attended this sport.

The Norwegian breed was, in old times, in high esteem in England; they were thought bribes worthy a king. Geoffrey Fitzpierse gave two good Norway hawks to King John, to obtain for his friend, Walter Le Madena, the liberty of exporting 100 weight of cheese; and Nicholas, the Dane, was to give the king a hawk every time he came to England, that he might have free liberty to traffic through out the King's dominions. They were also made the tenures by which some nobles held their estates from the crown.

In order to instruct them, the following method is generally pursued :-When a hawk or falcon is taken, she must be seeled in such a manner that as the seeling slackens she may see what provision lies before her; but care ought to be taken not to seel her too hard. A falcon or hawk, newly taken, should have all new furniture, as new pieces of good leather, mailled leashes with buttons at the end, and new bewits. There should also be provided a small round stick to stroke the hawk; because the oftener this is done, the sooner and better she will be manned. She must also have two large bells that she may be found when she scattereth.' Her hood should be well fashioned, raised, and embossed against her eyes deep, and yet strait enough beneath that it may fasten about her head without hurting her: her beak and talons must be a little coped, but not so near as to make them bleed. A soar falcon, which has passed the seas, will be harder to reclaim, but will prove the best of falcons. Her food must be good and warm, and given twice or thrice a day, till she be full gorged the best

for this purpose is pigeons, larks, or other live birds; because she must be broken off by degrees from her accustomed feeding. When she is fed you must whoop and lure that she may know when you intend to give her meat.

The lure is a piece of red stuff, or wool, on which are fixed a bill, talons, and wings. To this is likewise fastened a piece of that flesh on which the bird feeds, and the lure is thrown out to him. When they intend to reclaim or recall him, the sight of the food brings him back and in time the voice will be sufficient. The various plumage with which the lure is set off is called a drawer! When they accustom the hawk to fly at a kite, a heron, or a partridge, they change the drawer according to the kind of game to which he is to be devoted. When this is a kite they fix the bill and feathers of that bird to the lure; and so of the rest; and in order to entice the bird to this object, they fasten beneath the drawer or plumage the flesh of a chicken, or other fowl, occasionally seasoned with sugar and spices, together with marrow and other delicacies. Three things are to be considered before the lure be showed her :-1. That she be bold and familiar in company, and not afraid of dogs and hares. 2. Sharp set and hungry, having regard to the hour of morning and evening, when you would have her. 3. Clean within, and lure well garnished with meat on both sides; and when you intend to give her the length of a leash you must abscond. She must also be unhooded, and have a bit or two given her on the lure, as she sits on your fist; afterwards, take the lure from her and hide it that she may not see it; and when she is unseeled cast the lure so near her that she may catch it within the length of her leash, and as soon as she has seized it use your voice, feeding her upon the lure on the ground, with the heart and warm thigh of a pullet. Having so lured your falcon, give her but little neat in the evening, and let this luring be so timely that you may give her plumage next morning upon your fist. When she is used to the lure on foot, she is to be lured on horseback; which may be effected the sooner by causing horsemen to be about her when she is lured on foot. When she has grown familiar this way let somebody on foot hold the hawk, and the person on horseback must call and cast the lure about his head, the holder taking off the hood by the tassel; and if she seize eagerly on the lure without fear of man or horse, then take off the creance, and lure her at a greater distance. If you would have her love dogs as well as the lure, call dogs when you give her her living or plumage. After this she may be allowed to fly, in a large field, unincumbered with trees. To excite her to fly, whistle softly; unhood her, and let her fly with her head to the wind; as she will thus the more readily get upon the wing, and fly upwards. The hawk sometimes flies from the falconer's fist, and takes stand on the ground; this is a fault very com

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