1814.]

37

THE KING.

THE QUEEN.

ANCIENT CHESS-MEN DISCOVERED IN THE ISLE OF LEWIS. 1831 an announcement made in the Scottish In the year newspapers excited the attention of antiquaries to a curious discovery made in Scotland in the Isle of Lewis on the sea-shore, in the parish of Uig, of a considerable number of chess-men of excellent workmanship. They were discovered by a peasant of the island, whilst digging on a sand-bank, near to a ruin of some note, and having been purchased by the Trustees of the British Museum, these figures now form part of our national collection of antiquities, together with a bone or ivory fibula, and fourteen table-men, or draught-men, which were found with them. The chess-men are sixty-seven in number, forming the materials of six or more sets, but the pieces are of such various sizes, that it is difficult to select two sets which correspond exactly. Of the total number, six are kings, five queens, thirteen bishops, fourteen knights, ten warders, and nineteen pawns. The largest king is 44 inches high, and 6 inches in circumference; the largest queen 37 inches in height, and 5% in circumference; the largest bishop, knight and warder, (the latter holding the place of the rook or castle,) are respectively 5 inches in height; and the largest pawn 2 inches. For the sake of distinction, part of these pieces were originally stained of a dark red or beet-root colour, but from the action of salt-water for many centuries, the colour is in most cases nearly discharged.

There is little variation in the form or attitude of the KINGS. They are all represented as old men with large spade-shaped beards, moustaches, and hair falling in plaits over their shoulders. They have on their heads low quatrefoil crowns, either plain or ornamented with a border, and sit on square-formed chains, having high backs richly carved with various scrolls, figures of animals, intersecting arches, and tracery-work in the best style of art of the twelfth century, as seen on monuments, and in manuscripts. Their dress consists of an upper and an under robe, the former of which, that is, the mantle or clamys, is thrown in folds over each arm, and left open on the right side as high as the shoulder, (where it is fastened by a clasp,) for the purpose of leaving the arm free. Each of the figures holds a sword, with both hands across his knees, as though in the act of drawing it, according to the old mode assigned to royal personages. The swords are broad and short; the scabbards are marked either with a simple longitudinal line, or with lines placed diagonally. In the different figures, there are some slight variations, and in one the hair is not plaited, but spreads over the back in six long wreaths: the ornaments of the chains are also diversified; one of them exhibits an intersection of

THE BISHOP.

THE KNIGHT.

semicircular arches, as seen in some of our early Nor-
man churches.

The QUEENS, who are also crowned, are represented
of the kings. From the back of the head of each hangs
sitting in chairs, ornamented in a style similar to those
a species of hood, which spreads over the shoulders, and
accords with what was universally worn by ladies of rank
in the middle ages; as is proved by manuscripts and
The sleeves of this, like those
monuments of various nations. From the shoulders to
the feet hangs a long mantle, which shows in front an
under garment or gown.
of the Saxons and Norman-French, are short, with a
Most of these figures are repre-
worked border; and from the elbows to the wrists are a
series of plaits, resembling bands, which probably were
worn round the arm.
sented in a contemplative posture, the head resting upon
the right arm, which is supported by the left. One of
them (represented in the cut) holds a curiously-shaped
drinking-horn in the left hand. In the different figures
there are some variations in the forms of the crowns
and hoods: and in one a striped petticoat and the feet are
visible, which are covered in other instances: the chair-
back of the latter piece furnishes also another example
of round and intersecting arches.

The BISHOPS. Five of these pieces are represented in ornamented chairs, and the remaining eight in a standing ing ones, wear the chasuble, dalmatic, stole, and tunic, position. All the sitting figures, and four of the standof the form anciently prescribed, and corresponding with have a cope instead of a chasuble, but the stole and dalrepresentations of much greater antiquity; the remainder some instances quite plain, but have the double band, The hair is cut short matic are omitted. The mitres are very low, and in or infula, attached behind. round the head. They hold a crosier with one, or with both hands: and in the former instances the other hand holds a book, or is raised in the attitude of benediction. crosses or ornaments. In the details both of the habits On the backs of the chasuble and stole are various The KNIGHTS are full-length figures mounted on and other work, there are numerous minute variations. They are habited in long coats or of the whole. horseback, and are probably the most interesting portion gambesons, which descend in folds to the feet; the sleeves have a cuff or border at the wrist. The leg has apparently a covering of some sort down to the ankle, Their helmets, with a few exceptions, are of a conical where it is met with a species of half-boot without spur. shape, and mostly with nasals and round flaps to protect staches and large round beards, except one, which has the nose, ears, and neck. All the figures have mouthe beard separated into three forks. A long kite-formed

shield, suspended from the neck, hangs on the left side of each, ornamented with various devices, approaching in some instances very closely to heraldic distinctions. Beneath the shield appears the sword, which is fastened round the waist by a belt, and in the right hand each knight carries a massive spear. The horses are caparisoned in high saddles, plain or ornamented; saddle-cloths curiously bordered; stirrups and bridles; the mane is cut short, and the hair suffered to grow down on the forehead. On one side of the shields is a cross, bearing a lozenge, plain; on another is an ornamented lozenge; and the remainder are variously indented with crosses and

other ornaments.

Ir is, I think, conclusive that mankind, from a very early period, have their minds prepared for supernatural occurences by the consciousness of the existence of a spiritual world. But imagination is apt to intrude its explanations and inferences, founded on inadequate evidence. Sometimes our violent and inordinate passions, originating in sorrow for our friends, remorse for our crimes, our eagerness of patriotism, or our deep sense of devotion;-these or other violent excitements of a moral character, in the visions of the night, or the rapt ecstasy of the day, persuade us that we witness with our eyes and ears an actual instance of that supernatural communication, the possibility of which cannot be denied. At other times the corporeal organs impose upon the mind, while the eye and the ear, diseased, deranged, or misled, convey false impressions to the patient. Very often both the mental delusion and the physical deception exist at the same time; and men's belief of the phenomena presented to them, however erroneously, by the senses, is the firmer and more readily granted, that the physical impressions corresponded with the mental excitement. -SIR WALTER SCOTT.

THERE existed among the ancient Egyptians a singular custom of introducing, during or after their feasts, either a skeleton or a wooden image in the form of a human being, sometimes erect, and sometimes extended on a bier, as a solemn warn

A GIPSY VILLAGE.

Bears

AFTER advancing some little way through the defile, our
attention was attracted by a tremendous uproar, and on
turning a curve of the road, we came at once upon a gipsy
village, presenting a scene not easily paralleled.
were bellowing, monkeys and children screaming, dogs
barking, drums beating, pipers playing, women scolding,
men fighting, and smiths and tinkers hammering,-alto-
gether forming a charivari, which, fortunately for men's
cars, does not often assail them. Nor was the appearance
of these people less remarkable than their noise. The ma-
jority of the children were entirely naked, and their parents
nearly so, having no covering but a pair of wide trousers,
those of the women differing but little in form and colour
from those of the men. The whole, whether basking in
the sun, or at work, were incessantly smoking from little
short pipes made of box-wood. In short, they exhibited a
picture of human degradation and misery, such as I have
not often witnessed, even among the most savage tribes.
Their dwellings consisted merely of scattered tents, and
holes burrowed into the sides of the soft limestone rocks
that towered above them. Their habits appeared filthy in
the extreme, for besides the stench arising from the nume-
rous animals with whom they lived in common, the im-
mense volumes of tobacco-smoke, and the smell of onions
and garlic, formed an odour altogether so unsavoury, that
we heartily wished ourselves out of its vicinity.

On hearing the sound of our horses, the whole motley multitude started on their legs and rushed towards us; when pipers, drummers, fiddlers, dancing dogs and bears, tumbling monkeys and naked children, young fortune-tellers and old witches,-all performed before us in their respective characters. A few handfuls of kopecks, for which they most reverently kissed the hem of our garments, and wished us a happy journey, delivered us from their importunities.

In the midst of all this wretchedness, I could not help remarking the well-formed proportions of the men,-their fiery eyes and animated countenances. Nor were the fine black hair, hanging down in natural curls on their shoulfeatures of the women-the large, full, dark eye, and jet ders-less admirable; and although, from continual exposure to the weather, they were nearly as dark as Indians, yet ing of the brevity of life, and the vanity of all sublunary does not long characterize the women of the East, particuthose still young were really beautiful. But this distinction enjoyments. The discovery of a skeleton-figure in the banquet-room after the close of a brilliant entertainment is thus larly this migratory people, for those more advanced in described by one who is supposed to have been a stranger-imagine witches to be,-haggard, withered, and wrinkled. life were the veriest personifications of what you might guest at one of those olden feasts. -SPENCER'S Travels in Circassia, Krim Tartary, &c.

There was a female who particularly attracted my attention, on whose head was a chaplet of dark-coloured flowers, and who sat veiled and silent during the whole of the banquet. She took no share, I observed, in what was passing around; the viands and the wine went by her untouched; nor did a word that was spoken seem addressed to her ear. This abstraction from a scene so sparkling with gaiety, though apparently unnoticed by any one but myself, struck me as mysterious and strange. I inquired of my fair neighbour the cause of it, but she looked grave and was silent. I returned to the banquet-room, which was now dim and solitary, except that there, to my astonishment, still sat that silent figure, which had awakened my curiosity so strangely during the night. A vague feeling of awe came over me as I now slowly approached it. Here was no motion, no sound of breathing in that form, not a leaf of the dark chaplet on its brow stirred. By the light of a dying lamp which stood before the figure, I raised, with a hesitating hand, the veil, and saw-what my fancy had already anticipated-that the shape beneath was lifeless,

was a skeleton!

This custom among the Egyptians, of placing a mummy, or skeleton, at the banquet-table, had been for some time disused, except at particular ceremonies; and even on such occasions, it had been the practice of the luxurious Alexandrians to disguise this memorial of mortality in the manner just described. But to me, who was wholly unprepared for such a spectacle, it gave a shock from which my imagination did not speedily recover. This silent and ghastly witness of mirth seemed to embody, as it were, the shadow in my own heart. The features of the grave were now stamped on the idea that haunted me, and this picture of what I was to be mingled itself with the sunniest aspect of what I was. -FLINT.

To think too meanly of mankind is dangerous to our reve rence of virtue.

RURAL SPORTS FOR THE MONTHS.
JANUARY.

THE most ancient of all bodily exercises were probably
field sports. In the early ages of the world, man was
compelled, as a necessary matter of self-defence, to main-
tain a continual warfare with such of the animals as were
in a state of hostility to him; nor could he preserve the
fruits of his industry, the crops he had planted, the
flocks and herds he had reared, without such continued

warfare.

This practice, at first urged on him by imperious necessity, was soon found to have its advantages. The flesh of many wild animals was found to supply wholesome food, and the skins of nearly all were valued as clothing, so that self-interest would not fail to prompt him to the pursuit of such animals as best supplied his wants. His reason and ingenuity were now employed to devise the most successful methods of entrapping his prey. The rude pit-fall, the trap of simple form, the noose or snare, the club, the javelin, and the spear, the simple sling, the various kinds of bow, gradually succeeded each other, until the comparatively recent period when the invention of fire-arms threw all other weapons into the shade, and presented a more certain and deathinsuring method of procuring game.

It is worthy of remark that the destruction of animals, during the early age of the world, does not appear to have been followed as a pastime. It was a matter of necessity, and in so far as it supplied mankind with food, was in accordance with the Divine command.

After the deluge, man was encouraged to take and eat of the animals around him: "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all things." (Gen. ix. 3.)

On Noah, and in him on all mankind,

The charter was conferred, by which we hold
The flesh of animals in fee, and claim
O'er all we feed on power of life and death.
But read the instrument, and mark it well:
The oppression of a tyrannous control
Can find no warrant there.

Among the ancient Greeks and Romans very different opinions prevailed at different times as to the utility of field sports. Xenophon wrote a treatise, enlarging upon the advantages of these exercises, as inuring the body to hardships and privations, and promoting courage, strength, and swiftness. In the time of Sallust, hunting was held in sovereign contempt, and abandoned to slaves. Solon forbade the Athenians to hunt, because it enticed them from more useful pursuits. When the Goths and Vandals over-ran and subjugated the Roman empire, they appropriated the privilege of hunting to their own chiefs and nobles, and ceased to acknowledge the natural right which all men were previously considered to have, of participating in field sports.

It seems likely that the earliest animals subjugated to the use of man were sheep and kine, and that their skins formed his clothing; while the milk derived from them proved an abundant source of nutriment. Yet these highly valuable animals were of no assistance to him in the conquest of other and more ferocious creatures. The exquisite powers of scent and vision, with other remarkable qualities possessed by the dog, seem to have pointed him out at a very early period as man's assistant in the pursuit of wild animals.

It is not our purpose to proceed with the history of the successive appropriation of different animals by man to the objects of the chase; or of the modes by which the capture of animals was facilitated from time to time; far less shall we attempt to show, that, in an age of refinement like ours, when the necessity imposed upon barbarians no longer exists, the enthusiam with which field sports are followed, and inoffensive creatures preserved for the express purpose of being hunted to death, is worthy the national character for intellectual superiority and generous feeling. Yet, taking advantage of the very general interest which such subjects are wont to excite, we propose to give, in this and the following articles, notices of the sports prevalent during the month, with an especial reference to the natural history of the animals forming the objects of pursuit. It cannot be expected that we should select on all occasions the sport which is the most universally followed at the time we write, for many favourite pastimes of this nature, prevail for several months in succession, and we should, in consequence, be bound to keep to one subject for a corresponding length of time: we shall therefore take such particular sports for description as our attention may be directed to at the time, and as are more or less followed during the month.

In the present cold and bleak season of the year, when some of our field sports are necessarily suspended, there is yet an occupation for the gunner, which is considered to possess peculiar attractions, and which has drawn many a sportsman from his home for weeks together. This is the shooting of wild-fowl of various kinds; an occupation fraught with much difficulty, and even danger, and in the pursuit of which, the miseries of cold and hunger, the necessity of traversing halffrozen marshes and ditches, the pelting of storms of hail or snow, are all cheerfully endured by the zealous lover of the sport.

The capture of wild ducks is that of which we shall at present speak, as being the chief branch of the sport. Many of the rivers of our southern shores present, at

their junction with the sea, extensive deposits of soil and of animal matter which are alternately covered and left dry by the tide. The autumnal rains sweep a vast quantity of little animals and animal remains from the upper country, while numerous aquatic animals of a minute kind also resort to the brackish waters of such situations, on account of the warmer temperature which those waters possess over both the sea water, and fresh running streams. Where the soil of the surrounding country is rich, and the descent of the river gradual, these deposits present to the whole race of dabbling birds the grandest attractions. Where the stream comes dashing from a rocky soil, or is very limited in its course, its termination is never found to be an estuary favourable to the birds in question. On looking at the map of England, we shall see that several of our southern rivers are, as it respects the length of their course, and the nature of the country and of the soil they traverse, especially calculated for the resort of wild-fowÏ. In consequence, the capture of these birds is carried on to a great extent, and in a systematic manner, and the quantity taken is very considerable. The most successful method of catching is by the decoy, which is a pond sheltered by reeds, and containing a permanent net in which the birds are entrapped. Tame birds are trained to entice the wild ones, and are called decoy-ducks. Into the details of this mode of bird-catching we cannot now enter. A more hazardous method is pursued by men who partly depend on wild-duck shooting for their subsistence, and also by sportsmen who consider the pleasure rather enhanced than lessened by the difficulties and risks they incur. These pursue their occupation principally in small punts or boats, and are called puntshooters, or punt-gunners. Sea-fowl usually come down to feed by night in the oozy ground before described. Towards evening, therefore, the fowler runs up his boat into a creek, and lies in patient expectation of his prey. Gilpin, describing the coast of Hampshire and the fowler's employment there, says that the flight of wild ducks as they approach the feeding-place, may be compared to a pack of hounds in full cry, so noisy are they in their language. The gunner listens attentively to ascertain which way they bend their flight, and has perhaps the mortification to find that they have alighted at too great a distance to allow of his getting a shot at them; but if he happens to be more fortunate, and finds them alighting on the plain, to the edge of which he has moored his little boat, he primes both his pieces,-for he generally carries two, and again endeavours to find out the situation of the birds by listening, the nights favourable to the fowler's sport being exceedingly dark. The birds are silent while feeding, but the motion of such a number as generally feed together is sufficient to produce certain indistinct sounds, by which the fowler is guided where to take aim. He fires at a venture, and immediately takes up the other gun and discharges it where he supposes the affrighted flock to be rising on the wing. This concludes his chances of success for that night, and he has now nothing more to do than to tie to his feet flat pieces of board, called mud-pattens, and, thus protected from sinking in the ooze, to grope about in the dark in quest of his booty, which may consist of many birds, or may be almost nothing. The danger attending this employment is, lest the fowler should get fixed in the mud so as to be unable to extricate himself, and thus get overtaken by the returning tide. The cold is also so severe as to expose the less inured follower of the pursuit, to ill consequences to his health. Even in the day-time, the risk of such expeditions is considerable, as the following anecdote will be sufficient to show:

:

versing one of these oozy plains in search of ducks, and, Mounted on his mud-pattens, a fowler was once trabeing intent only on his game, suddenly found the water, which had been accelerated by some peculiar circumstance

green and white on the head and neck. She is without the curled feathers on the tail.

also

Wild-ducks are not inferior to many other birds in a remarkable instinct for the preservation of their young, or of their mates. Captain Back relates, in his Arctic Land Expedition, that one of his companions having killed a female duck, fired again, and as he thought disabled its companion, a fine drake. Accordingly, leaving the dead bird, which he had the mortification of seeing, in a few minutes afterwards, carried off by one of the white headed eagles, he waded after the drake, which, far from being alarmed, remained motionless, as if wait

affecting the tide, had made an alarming progress around him, and he found himselt completely encircled. In this desperate situation an idea struck him as the only hope of safety. He retired to that part which seemed the highest, from its being yet uncovered by water, and striking the barrel of his long gun deep into the ooze, he resolved to hold fast by it, as well for a support as a security against the waves, and to wait the ebbing of the tide. He had reason to believe a common tide would not have flowed above his middle; but in the midst of his reasoning on the subject, the water had now reached him. It rippled over his feet, it gained his knees, his waist, button after button was swallowed up, until at length it advanced over his shoulders. With a palpitating heart he gave himself up for lost. Still, however, he held fast by his anchor; his eyeing to be taken up. As he drew nearer, it glided easily was eagerly in search of some boat which might accidentally away, through innumerable little nooks and windings. be passing, but none appeared. A head upon the surface Several times he extended his arm to catch it; and of the water, and that sometimes covered by a wave, was no having at last with great patience managed to coop it up object to be descried from the land, at the distance of half in a corner, from whence there appeared to be no escape, a league; nor could he exert any sounds of distress that he was triumphantly bending down to take it, when to could be heard so far. While, as the exigence would allow, his utter astonishment, after two or three flounders, it he was thus making up his mind to certain destruction, his attention was caught by a new object. He thought he saw looked round, cried "quack," and flew off so strongly the uppermost button of his coat begin to appear. No that he was convinced he had never hit it at all. The mariner floating on a wreck could behold approaching object of the bird had evidently been to draw away his succour with greater transport than he felt at this transient attention from its companion, of whose fate it was view of the button; but the fluctuation of the water was ignorant. such, and the turn of the tide so slow, that it was yet some time ere he durst venture to assure himself that the button was fairly above the level of the flood. At length a second button appearing at intervals, his sensations may rather be conceived than described, and his joy gave him spirit and strength to support his situation four or five hours longer, until the waters had fully retired.

It might have been imagined that dangers such as these, would cause excursions of this nature to be undertaken by those alone, who get their livelihood by selling wild-ducks; but this is so far from being the case, that we find a practiced sportsman referring with enthusiasm to what he calls his "wild-fowl shooting mania," when he used, after spending many hours of the day on Lewes Levels, and pursuing his sport with an ardour which he confesses himself unable to defend, inasmuch as it risked the health and life of both him and his servant, to return again in the evening to watch the night-flights, and still to carry on his sport. Nay, so fascinating is the pursuit of these birds, that he assures us from his own knowledge, that some persons, in order to enjoy the sport in greater perfection, have fitted up a small sailing smack with sleeping berths, cooking conveniences, suitable attendants, a row boat for creeks, a punt for oozes, two or three water-dogs, &c., and thus equipped have made a coasting voyage half round our island. When we remember the season of the year during which this sport is chiefly practised, viz, from about the middle of October to the end of February, we shall be able to appreciate the extraordinary degree of enthusiasm necessary to carry a man through such an expedition. By a recent Act of Parliament, it is made illegal to kill wild-fowl, either young or old, from the last day of March to the first day of October.

The common wild-duck is the largest in size of the species that frequent this country. The general name duck is taken from the female, the male being the mallard, or drake, and the young birds, flappers. The length of a full-grown mallard is nearly two feet, the stretch of the wings three feet, and the weight about two pounds and a half. The head and neck are of a fine dark glossy green colour; a white collar encircles the throat; and below it, the neck, breast, and shoulders are of a purplish brown. The scapular feathers are a mixture of silver-white and rust colour, streaked with brown. The wing-coverts are ash-coloured with black and white tips. The wing-spot is rich purple, with reflections of blue and green. The lower part of the back is black, and the four middle tail-feathers are curled

up in the mallard. The under part of the body is whitish grey, with slight mottlings of brown. The duck is considerably smaller than the mallard, and has not the

The nest of the wild-duck is in general artfully concealed among herbage, in the vicinity of water. been known, however, to build in trees, and in bushes. It has The ducklings are numerous; often as many as sixteen are hatched at once, and unless some casualty happens to the nest, there is only one brood during the season.

There are about twenty-eight spécies of ducks which are seen more or less frequently in different parts of Great Britain and Ireland, and principally during the winter season. Many of these visitants are evidently natives of northern countries, and appear in great numbers on our northern coasts; but of the flights which appear still more abundantly in the fenny districts, such as those of Lincolnshire, Cambridge, and Martin Mere in Lancashire, on the borders of many rivers in Wales, and on the southern flat shores and estuaries of England, we are not well informed as to their retreats when they quit our shores.

In this family of birds there are many species besides the wild-duck commonly so called, which deserve to be future occasion, together with several other notices, spoken of particularly. These we must leave for a relating to wild-fowl in general.

SULTANIEH, IN NORTHERN PERSIA.