ance with an enormous branch of a tree in his trunk, holding it well up over his head. His rush was splendid, and stopping at about sixty yards from me, he hesitated what to do; whisking the branch about, and kicking up the ground with his fore and hind feet with astonishing force, I certainly did not like his appearance, but it was now too late, so hostilities commenced. I first gave him the benefit of my old, well-tried double rifle, and discharged the right barrel as true as the branch he was holding to the centre of his forehead would allow me to direct it. The ball stung him sharply; he dropped the branch as if it had been a red hot poker; shook his enormous head, and roared violently. I now had a clear look at him; the hole made in his forehead by the ball annoyed him exceedingly; he turned up his trunk to examine the wound, sucked out the blood, and throwing it over his head and shoulders, appeared to experience considerable astonishment. I was not at all disposed to allow him much time for reflection, for fear he might prove too troublesome, and as he was standing still, I favored him with the left barrel, this time well planted just into the bump of his trunk, where it rises out of the head. As there was nothing to intercept my sight, this shot brought him upon his knees, in which position he remained just long enough to enable me to reload. On getting up he turned wildly about, looking for me, and upon discovering my position, came down towards me at an awful pace. Anticipating this movement, I had my three-ounce rifle prepared for his reception, and allowed him to come within twenty yards, when I sent the ball again into his forehead, which stopped him short; he began to stagger and roll about as if drunk, turned round three or four times, again felt over his bleeding forehead, sucking out pints of blood with his trunk, and showering it over his head and body, which, originally black, had now been changed to a deep scarlet. The fight up to this time had been carried on in the dry bed of the Raptee river, without a bush between us, but with a dense jungle on either side, so finding him a much thicker-headed and more disagreeable antagonist than I had inwardly bargained for, I considered it prudent to retreat into the jungle on my right, taking up my position behind a large tree. Not many minutes had elapsed ere he missed me, and rushing down to the spot where he had last seen me, he began to hunt me out. Elephants possess a very keen sense of smell through the proboscis, but the blood was now streaming through the interior of that organ, which sadly perplexed his endeavors to sniff me out. By hard blowing he partially cleared the trunk, and discovering a clue to his opponent, came straight to the tree behind which I was concealed. I had no time to lose, I therefore treated him to a salute from the right and left barrels in rapid succession; the last shot, from his shaking his head at the first, glanced off the bone and scooped out his right eye, the pain of which drove him nearly mad. He spun himself round in intense agony; his roars were appalling, and he ploughed up the ground with his feet to an extent that, if described, would appear an exaggeration to those who have not seen an elephant, particularly an enraged one, in the act of performing that operation. His small eye hung from its socket; I therefore determined to manœuvre on his blind side, and ply him well with lead. I had fought him for an hour and a half. Now a scorching sun and a fast, under such circumstances, are rather trying; indeed, I had almost had enough of it, and began devoutly to wish that the beast would either take to his heels, or allow me to take to mine. The beast, unfortunately, was in no such humor. It is a notorious fact, that when two wild elephants meet in a musth state, they never separate till one of them is destroyed. Their fight sometimes lasts a week, when the one which physically possesses the greatest capacity for fasting will destroy the other. Large male carcasses are thus frequently discovered by the elephant-catchers, and their tusks are turned to a profitable account. I was now greatly exhausted and blown, retreating after every shot to a fresh tree, the elephant invariably following me up. In a hurry I took up a position behind a tree which I should not have selected had I not been so fatigued. My opponent being from his wounds slow in pursuit enabled me to recover my wind, and while doing so it struck me I had occupied a bad position, the tree not being much thicker than my body. I immediately retreated to another tree a few yards off, affording much better cover, and fortunate it was I did so, for I had barely taken up my new ground when the elephant again commenced hunting me up, and when within four yards of the tree I had just quitted, he stopped, and putting his trunk out, after clearing it and scenting for some minutes, made a terrific rush. But this was fortunately nearly his last. On coming up to the tree he made sure I was behind it, and encircling it with his trunk he endeavored to break it down. Failing in this, he half leaned, but in a very exhausted state, against the tree, and after two more efforts tore it up by the roots and cast it down. Evidently making sure that I was under it, he now knelt down and commenced driving his tusks into both sides of the tree, flattering himself that he was probing my carcass. I was only a few yards from him during this operation. Having considerably revived, I determined upon acknowledging his good intentions. Stepping from behind the tree I had occupied whilst he was employed in his humane undertaking, I fired four shots successively into his forehead, which, however, stunned him. On reviving, he stuck his tusks heavily into the ground, and remained motionless for some minutes. I began to hope he was dead, and retreated to another position to reload. My mouth was in a fearful state from thirst, my lips and tongue so cracked and parched, that they were bleeding profusely. The monster, to my disgust, again got up, but now very weak, and rolling about as if he had been indulging, ad libback with some difficulty, reached a tree, which he leant against. Jack now, for the first time during the encounter, spoke, or rather shouted, By gar, captin, him going.” I began to think so, and stepped out to within three yards of him. He made two very drunken attempts to come at me, and I plied him well with lead, so that he again reeled up against the tree. I retreated to reload, and had barely done so, when, to my great annoyance, I saw him moving again towards me, but now very feeble. He could hardly walk. I fired another shot at him, when he stopped, staggered, quietly drew his hind legs under him, then his fore, dropped his head heavily, and drove his tusks up to the roots in the ground, and then remained motionless. After waiting a quarter of an hour at least, during which time he never moved, we all agreed he was dead, and I proposed that Jack should go and ascertain the fact. To this Jack strongly objected. I then moved up and fired at the monster. The shot did not disturb him. itum, in gin and leaden bitters. He staggered | of great value, but which, of course, I was obliged, Tuesday. After two nights' rest, I feel quite strengthened and restored this morning. Deare Rose read me to sleep in her low, gentle voice, and then lay down by my side, twice stepping into Robin's chamber during the night, and bringing We now moved out, as I was convinced he was gone, and going some distance round we came up in his rear. I again proposed that Jack should go and pull his tail to ascertain if he was dead or merely feigning; Jack demurred, however, at this. I promised, however, to stand by him and protect him. He then declared that he, Jack, had been dead himself, at least six times during the encounter; and that if I wanted to kill him outright, I had better shoot him at once. After some trouble, I persuaded him to follow me, and on going within five yards of the elephant's rear, I took a clot of earth and threw it at him. I then again proposed that, to make all safe, Jack should pull his tail. Jack continued his opposition, but as I knew there was no danger, and only wished to get a gallop out of him after the excited state he had been in for some hours, I urged his obedience. Jack now became desperate, going sideways towards the elephant's tail, and when within pulling distance, turning his head away, laying hold of it-giving it a pull, and then bolting as if he had a Congreve in his trowsers. After this feat, Jack never stopped until he had placed two hundred yards between himself and the dead elephant, when he gallantly faced about, and finding he was not pursued, came back as fast as he could, entering immediately on his return into the pedigree of the deceased elephant, and favoring its mother and sisters with numerous epithets unfit for ears polite. Thus died the savage Shikar Bassa elephant, for ten years the terror of that part of the Nepaul Forest, and for six months his carcass, despite the zeal and energy of vultures and jackals, afforded the villagers olfactory testimony that his remains were exceedingly disagreeable. For killing this elephant I was presented in open Durbar, by the rajah and heir apparent, with a handsome Khillut, or dress of honor, which was after wearing a few hours, to make over to the British Treasury in Nepaul, where all presents, according to the invariable custom at every British residency, are annually sold, and the proceeds placed to the credit of the Treasury. FEEDING THE TIGER.-A magnificent dinner has been given to Haynau, the woman-whipper, at Vienna. The correspondent of the Times speaks of "that man of iron," as being seated next to the Servian patriarch, a man of silver-"silvery beard and hair." In such case a most unseemly juxtaposition of the metals. This Haynau, we read, was vehemently applauded by the small white hands of the fine ladies of Vienna. Innocent things! Did they reflect upon their sister-woman, scourged by the orders of the barbarian who, it is to be feared, was really born of woman-and fed at woman's breast? At Kuseburg, according to a letter from an Englishman, dated at Widdin, Sept. 11-this much-applauded Haynau, baulked of his prey, in the escape of Bem and others, "ordered the lady of the house, who had treated them with courtesy, to be flogged. And she was afterwards dragged barefoot by the robbers as far as Hatseg." But the atrocity was not at its full. "Her husband, maddened by this outrage, blew out his brains with a pistol!" Wives of Vienna, another round of applause-another flourish of your snow-white kerchiefs, in honor of the man-monster of iron, "whose breast," continues the Times' correspondent, "down to his waist, was covered with stars"-ay, most malignant stars-with blood, and fire, and pestilence, in every baleful ray. We would rather do knee-worship to the spots of a panther than even at a public feeding tolerate the stars of Haynau.Punch. THE SHIPPING INTEREST. The time has not yet come for deciding how the last change in the navigation laws is to operate. In Liverpool complaints are uttered, more distressingly than ever. In the north of England, and in Scotland, neither the shipbuilder nor the ship-owner appears to be suffering. On the condition of the seamen themselves, likewise, the new order of things seems to effect little change. Good men are readily hired, though not at reduced wages; and bad men we can well spare, whether they betake themselves to the other side of the Atlantic, or seek employment in the seaports of continental Europe. It must not, however, be assumed from all this, that the abandonment of a policy which for two hundred years kept England at the head of the maritime nations was a wise act. Europe is still prostrate from the effects of the madness which fell upon her in 1848. America has not had time sufficiently to improve the advantages which we offer to her; but she is getting rapidly a-head. She bids fair ere long to monopolize the steam communication between the eastern and western hemispheres, and her mercantile marine cannot fail to enlarge itself in proportion. On the whole, therefore, we are constrained still to look back upon the great measure of the bygone session with aston ishment. It seems to have been one of the most gratuitous sacrifices to abstract principle of which history makes mention; and we shall be glad to find that the future does not bring with it grounds for a sadder feeling.-Fraser. 19th.-Speaking, to-day, of Mr. Waller, whom I had once seen at uncle John's, Mr. Agnew sayd he had obtayned the reputation of being one of our smoothest versers, and thereupon brought forth one or two of his small pieces in manuscript, which he read to Rose and me. They were addrest to the lady Dorothy Sidney; and certainlie for specious flatterie I doe not suppose they car be matcht; but there is noe impress of reall feeling in them. How diverse from my husband's versing! He never writ anie mere love-verses, indeede, soe far as I know; but how much truer a sence he hath of what is really beautifulle and becoming in a woman than Mr. Waller! The lady Alice Egerton mighte have beene more justlie proud of y fine things written for her in Comus, than y Lady Dorothea of anie of y fine things written of her by this courtier-like poet. For, to say that trees bend down in homage to a woman when she walks under them, and that yo healing waters of Tonbridge were placed there by nature to compensate for the fatal pride of Sacharissa, is soe fullesome and untrue as noe woman, not devoured by conceite, coulde endure; whereas, the check that villanie is sensible of in the presence of virtue, is most nobly, not extravagantlie, exprest by Comus. And though my husband be almost too lavish, even in his short pieces, of classic allusion and personation, yet, like antique statues and busts well placed in some statelie pleasaunce, they are alwaies appropriate and gracefulle, which is more than can be sayd of Mr. Waller's overstrayned figures and metaphors. 20th.-News from home: alle well. Audrey Paice on a visitt there. I hope mother hath not put her into my chamber, but I know that she hath sett so manie trays full of spearmint, peppermint, camomiles, and poppie-heads in y blue chamber to dry, that she will not care to move them, nor have y window opened lest they should be blown aboute. I wish I had turned y key on my ebony cabinett. 24th.-Richard and Audrey rode over here, and spent a noisie afternoone. Rose had the goose dressed which I know she meant to have reserved for to-morrow. Clover was in a heat, which one would have thoughte he needed not to have beene, with carrying a lady; but Audrey is heavie. She treats Dick like a boy; and, indeede he is not much more; but he is quite taken up with her. I find she lies in yo blue chamber, which she says smells rarelie of herbs. They returned not till late, after sundrie hints from Mr. Agnew. Saturday night; at Robin's bedside. Oh, woefulle sight! I had not known that pale face, had I met it unawares. So thin and wan-and he hath shot up into a tall stripling during the last few months. These two nights of watching have tried me sorelie, but I would not be withholden from sitting up with him yet agayn-what and if this night should be his last! how coulde I forgive myself for sleeping on now and taking my rest? The first night, he knew me not; yet it was bitter-sweet to hear him chiding at sweet Moll for not conting. Yesternight he knew me for a while, kissed me, and fell into an heavie sleepe, with his hand locked in mine. We hoped the crisis was come; but 't was not soe. He raved much of a man alle in red, riding hard after him. I minded me of those words, "the enemy sayd, I will overtake, I will pursue, "-and, noe one being by, save the unconscious sufferer, I kneeled down beside him, and most earnestlie prayed for his deliverance from all spirituall adversaries. When I lookt up, his eyes, larger and darker than ever, were fixt on me with a strange, wistfulle stare, but he spake not. From that moment he was quiete. The doctor thought him rambling this morning, though I knew he was not, when he spake of an angel in a long white garment watching over him and kneeling by him in the night. Sunday evening. - Poor Nell sitteth up with mother to-night-right thankfulle is she to find that she can be of anie use: she says it seems soe strange that she should be able to make any return for my kindnesse. I must sleep to-night, that I may watch to-morrow. The servants are nigh spent, and are besides foolishlie afrayd of infection. I hope Rose prays for me. Soe drowsie and dulle am I, as scarce to be able to pray for myself. 27th.-Alas, alas, Robin's silence is too sor-me news that all was well. Relieved in mind, I rowfullie explained! He hath beene sent home soe ill that he is like to die. This report I have from Diggory, just come over to fetch me, with whom I start, soe soone as his horse is bated. Lord, have mercie on Robin. slept heavilie nor woke till late. Then, returned to y sick chamber, and found Rose bathing dear Robin's temples with vinegar, and changing his pillow-his thin hand rested on Mr. Agnew, on whom he lookt with a composed, collected gaze. but spake not. The children are alle sent away to keep y Slowlie turned his eyes on me, and faintlie smiled, house quiete. Poor dear mother is ailing now. I sate with her and father some time; but it was a true relief when Rose took my place and let me return to y sick room. Rose hath alreadie made several little changes for the better; improved y ventilation of Robin's chamber, and prevented his hearing soe manie noises. Alsoe, showed me how to make a pleasant cooling drink, which he likes better than the warm liquids, and which she assures me he may take with perfect safetie. Same evening. -Robin vext, even to tears, because y doctor forbids y use of his cooling drink, though it hath certainlie abated the fever. At his wish I stept down to intercede with the doctor, then closetted with my father, to discourse, as I suppose, of Robin's symptoms. Insteade of which, found them earnestlie engaged on y never-ending topick of cavaliers and roundheads. I was chafed and cut to y heart, yet what can poor father do; he is useless in yo sick-room, he is wearie of suspense, and 't is well if publick affairs can divert him for an odd half hour. The doctor would not hear of Robin taking y cooling beverage, and warned me that his death woulde be upon my head if I permitted him to be chilled: soe what could I doe? Poor Robin very impatient in consequence; and raving towards midnight. Rose insisted in taking y last half of my watch. I know not that I was ever more sorelie exercised than during ye first half of this night. Robin, in his crazie fit, would leave his bed, and was soe strong as nearlie to master Nell and me, and I feared I must have called Richard. The next minute he fell back as weak as a child: we covered him up warm, and he was overtaken either with stupor or sleep. Earnestlie did I pray it might be y latter, and conduce to his healing. Afterwards, there being writing implements at hand, I wrote a letter to Mr. Milton, which, though the fancy of sending it soon died away, yet eased my mind. When not in prayer, I often find myself silently talking to him. unison with my sadnesse, tears flowed without relieving me. What a solemne, pompous prigge is this doctor! He cries "humph!" and aye!" and bites his nails and screws his lips together, but I don't believe he understands soe much of physick, after alle, as Mr. Agnew. Father came home fulle of y rebels' doings, but as for me, I shoulde hear them thundering at our gate with apathie, except insofar as I feared them distressing Robin. Audrey rode over with her father, this morn, to make enquiries. She might have come sooner had she meant to be anie reall use to a family she has thought of entering. Had Rose come to our help as late in the day, we had been poorlie off. Thursday. May Heaven in its mercy save us from yo evil consequence of this new mischance!Richard, jealous at being allowed so little share in nursing Robin, whom he sayd he loved as well as anie did, would sit up with him last night, along with mother. Twice I heard him snoring, and stept in to prevail on him to change places, but coulde not get him to stir. A third time he fell asleep, and, it seems, mother slept too; and Robin, in his fever, got out of bed, and drank near a quart of colde water, waking Dick by setting down y pitcher. Of course the bustle soon reached my listening ears. Dick, to doe him justice, was frightened enough, and stole away to his bed without a word of defence; but poor mother, who had been equallie off her watch, made more noise about it than was good for Robin; who, neverthelesse, we having warmlie covered up, burst into a profuse heat, and fell into a sound sleep, which hath now holden him manie hours. Mr. Agnew augureth favourablie of his waking, but we await it in prayerfulle anxietie. - The crisis is past! and y doctor sayeth he alle along expected it last night, which I cannot believe, but father and mother doe. At alle events, praised be Heaven, there is now hope that deare Robin may recover. Rose and I have mingled tears, smiles, and thanksgivings; Mr. Agnew hath expressed gratitude after a more collected manner, and endeavored to check y some Wednesday. Waking late after my scant night's rest, I found my breakfaste neatlie layd out in y little antechamber, to prevent the fatigue of going down stairs. A handfulle of autumn what ill-governed expression of joy throughout flowers beside my plate, left me in noe doubt it was Rose's doing; and Mr. Agnew, writing at y window, told me he had persuaded my father to goe to Shotover with Dick. Then laying aside his pen, stept into the sick-chamber for y latest news, which was good and, sitting next me, talked of y progress of Robin's illnesse in a grave yet hopefulle manner; leading, as he chieflie does, to high and unearthlie sources of consolation. He advised me to take a turn in y fresh ayr, though but as far as the two junipers, before I entered Robin's chamber, which, somewhat reluctantlie, I did, but the bright daylight and warm sun had no good effect on my spiritts: on the contrarie, nothing in blythe nature seeming in the house; warning ye servants, but especiallie Dick and Harry, that Robin may yet have a relapse. With what transport have I sat beside dear Robin's bed, returning his fixed, earnest, thankfulle gaze, and answering y feeble pressure of his hand!-Going into the studdy just now, I found father crying like a child-the first time I have known him give way to tears during Robin's ilnesse. Mr. Agnew presentlie came in, and composed him better than I coulde. Saturday. Robin better, though still very weak. Had his bed made, and took a few spoonfuls of broth. support of the sultan. This would indeed appear beyond a doubt, for the president of the republio with the majority of his council, in spite of the efforts of M. Molé and M. Thiers, have ranged themselves on the eastern question, on the side of the Russian emperor. THE intelligence received during the past month from the east of Europe, has been of a character to increase, even more speedily and eminently than could have been anticipated, the dubious of justice and civilization, against the pretensions Although we give the czar credit for more shrewdness than to persist in his skilfully devised demands, and act up to the threats implied with them on this occasion, yet we consider them as the foreshadowing of an event which must come off, if not now, on a future day, and it is devoutly to be hoped we may always have a representative of the same material at the city of the sultan, and a minister at home as capable of appreciating his worth and of supporting his actions, as becomes the interest and dignity of the British empire. aspect of European affairs. The startling and imperative demands of the Emperor of Russia, for the extradition of the Hungarian and Polish political refugees, on the Turkish territory, contain in them the evidence of intentions so obviously hostile to the independence, and so insulting to the dignity of the Ottoman empire, that we are by no means surprised they should have awakened the liveliest indignation in the breast of the Turkish sovereign, and have met with his refusal of compliance. That they should have given rise to similar sentiments of reprobation in this country and in France, is also equally reasonable, not only on the score of the flagrant injustice of such demands, but as seriously militating against the interests of those two countries-interests inti- horror; the world speak its unmitigated censure The latest accounts from Vienna have stricken the heart of European civilization with shame and of the government that could thus cement the structure of its restored order with such hecatombs of blood, and history will point to their names as the greatest blot upon her pages in the nineteenth THE FLORIN.--The new two-shilling piece, known as "The Florin," is not about to be called in because of the omission of the words "Dei Gra mately interwoven with the maintenance of the tia." The words in question were omitted by the consent of her majesty and the prince consort, by both of whom the original design, as drawn by Mr. Wyon, of the royal mint, was warmly approved. In consequence of the dissatisfaction expressed by a large portion of the public at the omission, the chancellor of the exchequer ordered a search for precedents of such omission. The result has been that some most interesting details on the subject of the coinage of these realms has been brought forth. It would appear that no example was discovered of the omission of the words before-mentioned from any silver coins, but many examples of the omission were found as regarded the copper coinage. The words "Fidei Defensor" have also been omitted. It further appears that "Dei Gratia" was not used on any of the English copper money from the Restoration till 1797; and also that "Fidei Defensor" was not used for the whole of that period. Charles II., William III. and Mary, George I. and George II. omitted the words from copper coins. The rupee and other coins in India merely bear the words "Victoria Queen." It may now be added that the eminent personage at whose suggestion the omission was made in the The firmness and ability of a Canning, however, may once more prove too much even for Muscovite astuteness, and our yet fortunately enduring friendly relations with France will no doubt induce a clear sense of the necessity of a florin, thought that the words "Victoria Regina" firm coöperation at least, in the protection and | alone would give the coin a more emphatic character. CCXCII. LIVING AGE. VOL. XXIII. 35 |