supposed to have done, when he first saw the print of a naked foot in the sand.

"What's the matter, Mr. Jones?" I inquired.

"Oh!" he cried "the bones-the bones-we are among cannibals." "Where are they?"

"Look! look! I shall certainly be eaten. children."

Oh! my poor wife and

"Tut, you goose-do you not see these are not human,” I said, as I advanced to where Jones stood, petrified like Lot's wife. Here we beheld a vast quantity of buffaloes' skulls and bones, regularly piled up in the form of a semicircle, and painted in different colours. Jones appeared much relieved at finding he was not among the dreaded cannibals; and Major Menzies, who now came up, and who was well acquainted with Indian customs, volunteered to satisfy our curiosity by explaining what this was.

"This country," he said, "is inhabited by the Pawnee tribe, and whether they go to wage war on men, or beast, the first proceeding is a religious ceremony among these bones."

"They are then a monument of superstition," I said.

"Precisely, and we may look sharp, for depend on it, game is not far from this spot."

"What makes you think so?" I inquired.

"Because these monuments are always erected in the favourite hunting ground."

The Major, a tall raw-boned active Highlander, and an old settler in the States, was not wrong in his conjecture. We had no sooner reached the top of the hill which we were then ascending, than a plain of about eight miles in circumference, stretched beneath us, literally covered with buffaloes. Smithfield market on sale day, could alone give an idea of their multitude. Our party killed several, cutting off such portion as was necessary, and leaving the rest of the carcasses a prey to the wild beasts. Having brought our game to the tent, the Major took upon himself the superintendence of the culinary department, and a practised hand he was, as our capital beef-steaks could testify. Hunger no doubt diminishes our epicurean taste in such matters. We had a pleasant party of five-two downright Yankees, agreeable men; an English settler, from Louisana; Major Menzies, Scotch; and your humble servant, from the Land of Potatoes.

If I was poetical, I could gladly describe our evening. The sun had sunk behind the vast mountains in our vicinity, but his latest beams still gilded the lofty peaks-the breadth of shadow cast by the Titanic hills darkened the view, and reflection of the stars were faintly gleaming in the liquid depths-the fertile Islands above mentioned seemed Eden

bowers, where pure spirits might roam with those they loved. My eyes closed while surveying this tranquil scene, and my mind reverted to home, and the banks of the Blackwater gliding by our loved lawn of Grange, and the tall sides of Cairn mountain. I slept-my companions slept also. After some hours we were awoke by a confused noise, and Jones started up exclaiming "The Indians! the Pawnees are on us." Are they?" said 1.-" Yes, listen to their war cry." I seized my rifle" We shall give them a warm reception." "Oh that I had never come," said Jones-" they'll take our scalps, and we shall never escape with our lives." "Cease that clattering tongue of your's, sir," said the Major, after listening attentively for a moment to the sounds which now seemed to cease, and occasionally to burst louder in angry screams. "A man can get no sleep with your jabbering."

66

Sleep! And the Indians ready to rush on us?" said Jones. "Indians be d--d," ejaculated the Major,-" that's no warwhoop."

"What is it then?" demanded the terrified merchant.

"The wolves enjoying their repast on the buffaloes," was the very satisfactory reply.

The next day, after partaking of a breakfast extremely like our dinner of the preceding one, we started, each attended by a servant carrying spare rifles. We continued our track along the banks of the river, and met immense herds of wild goats. The activity with which they skipped from rock to rock was extraordinary. We had to make occasional detours in consequence of rocks blocking up our progress. I perceived something bounding along, fired, and brought it downit was an animal called by the natives Wistonwisk, also known as the' dog of the meadows, and is of the squirrel tribe. It perfectly resembles the grey squirrel, but larger; the colour of its skin is a deeper brown, the teeth and claws are similarly shaped, and its tail bushy and tufted shades its pretty head. They burrow in the banks of rivers, if high enough to avoid inundation-if not, on the sides of hills and borders of lakes. Their food being grass, roots, and berries.

The difficulties of our path now broke us into straggling parties, and I was startled by the ringing of a rifle over my head, and on looking up, saw our English companion closely pursued by a large grey bear-he had come on this savage animal unawares, and having wounded him with his fire, roused his anger. Now the animal pursued his foe with more swiftness than could be imagined from his huge lubberly form. Luckily, three of us were together with our guns loaded. I placed a ball in his neck, and Mr. Jones shot him in the head and tumbled him, while, to make assurance trebly sure, his friend followed his example, and bruin fell pierced with wounds. The pursued was considerably frightened,

and elated at his escape, a good bumper of rum set his nerves to rights. The bear was speedily divested of his skin by our expert servants, and we resumed on our way. This region is much frequented by these animals-their strength equals their daring. I was told by one of the guides that by a single stroke of his paw, one of these bears tore away four ribs of a buffalo, which fell dead at his feet. They are tolerably shy in their disposition, and seldom attack mankind unless driven by desperation, as when surprised and wounded. An Indian, however, one of our staff, had a wonderful escape some time before he was passing through a wood, when he encountered one of these furious. beasts, which sprung furiously on his horse, fixed his claws in his back, and brought him to the ground. My Indian, most fortunately, was not mounted at the time, and having discharged an arrow into one of the bear's eyes, the monster retired into the forest howling with pain.

On the 20th May we crossed the Southern arm of the Platte river. Traces of volcanic matter covered the land, which in sterility and monotonous evenness of soil closely resembled the sandy deserts of Asia. Here were no sounds of human voices-no hum of man is ever heard. Here never has tent been pitched-no wigwam reared. The hunter seldom visits it, even in the best seasons. The beasts of the chase and those of prey shun its sterile surface. The grass is withered-the streams black and bitter. The buffalo, the stag, the goat, and the gazelle, desert these unfruitful regions, and leave the vast plain to solitude. Deep ravines, formerly indented in its surface by volcanic eruptions darken the dull earth. Heaps of white stones lie in scattered mounds -ridges of rock rise continually over the plain and interrupt, without embellishing the scenery of the desert. Such are the Black Coasts. The Rocky mountains rise above, and, in their passes and valleys afford an unmolested retreat to savage tribes-the scattered remnants of the various tribes of Indians, who were formerly in possession of the land, but are now compelled to retire to those inaccessible defiles, where man's cupidity finds no temptation.

A curious monument called the Chimney, which we met with on the 28th May, deserves a place in these recollections. It is a huge cone, seventy-five yards high, and about a league in circumference. The country around it is a vast plain of table land, and, on its summit is a column of clay about forty feet broad, and at least a hundred feet high which has procured it the above appellation. It is seen at a distance of thirty miles. I think it cannot stand long, as a rent or break near the top portends its fall. This neighbourhood caused us much apprehension, being infested with rattle snakes and other poisonous reptils.

June 4.-Fell in with a tribe of Indians, on the banks of the Ramee,

They

a tributary river of the Platte. They were of the tribe of Shoshones, and are remarkable for their civility, decent, and cleanly habits. The men I observed to be of good stature-well made, and possessing great strength. Their noses aquiline, unlike the negro features. are accounted the best warriors on the Prairies. Their history is that of all savages driven into the mountains of the Far West; being the vestige of a nation that once dwelt upon the banks of the Red River. They live by hunting, and subsist principally on buffaloes. We were well received by them. The principal warriors made a feast, and in honour of the banquet six of the chief's best dogs were served up. I had half a one to my share, and so had no reason to complain of inattention. Some slight notion may be conceived of my embarrassment, when I was informed by Major Menzies, who was well acquainted with the customs, that every one is expected to eat all that is offered him. Luckily I discovered that I might call to my aid another guest, on presenting him with a piece of tobacco. We had much sport in the neighbourhood of those friendly Indians, who contributed to our amusement by facilitating our discoveries of game. Vast herds of buffaloes were coustanly met with. We found them much less dangerous to encounter in the woods, than on the plain, on account of the large horns giving us notice of their approach, and preventing them from surprising us. They are swift of foot, and famous swimmers. We had various specimens of the deer kinds in herds-elk, roe-buck, and gazelles. These two last kinds differ very little in size or appearance; the gazelle, however, is more graceful and finely formed than the roebuck, its hind legs being longer than those in front; in this it resembles the hare, and this gives it greater security in ascending and descending precipitous rocks. They have cloven hoofs, and do not shed their horns.

The black-tailed roe-buck, so richly dressed in its brown coat, frequently called forth our admiration by its shapely, graceful form, and its animated movements, in which it scarcely seemed to touch the earth with its feet.

We spent about two months altogether in our excursion, and had capital sport. We met with several wild animals-wolves, panthers, wild cats, and badgers, and our trophies in the way of skins, if stuffed, would furnish a handsome collection in a Museum of Natural History. Birds were in abundance in this quarter; the prairie hen and cock of the mountain, starting continually as we trod the hether, while the river was thronged with wild water fowl, duck, teal, and often flocks of geese.

When on the eve of our departure to return, three hundred of the Indian warriors went through a military parade to honour our farewell.

They were painted in grotesque colours, and looked hideous, armed with war weapons, with clubs in their hands, hatchets, and arrows on their shoulders. The bow being laid aside for the dance. Each was decked with some fantastic ornament formed of feathers, wolves' tails, the teeth or claws of beasts; while such as had received wounds or slain enemies, ostentatiously showed their scars, and had floating as a standard the scalps which they had torn from the vanquished. They rushed in good order as in making a charge, wheeled about-advancedretired-uttering cries at intervals. They danced in a ring a measured step, and concluded by giving their hands in token of amity. We had a safe journey along the Missouri, to where that river unites with the matron Mississippi, at which place our party broke up, some for Westport, others for St. Louis, I for ould Ireland; but all gratified by our sporting recollections of the Far West.

RODERICK RANDOM.

AGE OF ANIMALS.

A BEAR rarely exceeds twenty years; a dog lives twenty years; a wolf twenty; a fox fourteen or sixteen; lions are long lived, Pompey lived to the age of seventy. The average age of cats is fifteen years; a squirrel and hare seven or eight years; rabbits seven. Elephants have been known to live to the great age of four hundred years. When Alexander the Great had conquered Porus, King of India, he took a great elephant which had fought very valiantly for the king, and named him Ajax, dedicated him to the Sun, and let him go with this inscription :- Alexander, the son of Jupiter, hath dedicated Ajax to the Sun.' This elephant was found with this inscription three hundred and fifty years after. Pigs have been known to live to the age of thirty years; the rhinoceros to twenty. A horse has been known to live to the age of sixty-two, but averages twenty-five to thirty. Camels sometimes live to the age of one hundred. Stags are long lived. Sheep seldom exceed the age of ten. Cows live about fifteen years. Cuvier considers it probable that whales sometimes live one thousand years. The dolphin and porpoise attain the age of thirty. An eagle died at Vienna at the age of one hundred and four years. Ravens frequently reach the age of one hundred. Swans have been known to live three hundred years. Mr. Mallerton has the skeleton of a swan that attained the age of two hundred years. Pelicans are long lived. A tortoise has been known to live to the age of one hundred and seven.