success, I felt much mortified by a second unsuccessful shot. Observing that every one who fired killed several, I scrutinised their loading, and discovered that the shot they used had been previously soaked in strong chunam or lime-water, with which they were completely encrusted. I got a charge of these, and I found the result similar to when the natives fired for it appears the chunam, when it enters the skin or the flesh, causes such intolerable pain, that the muscular action of their claws is thereby relaxed to such a degree as to cause the animal to fall immediately.

A FIGHT-SNAKE AND DOGS.

NEAR the roots of many plants were found holes resembling rabbit-burrows. Suddenly, one of the dogs (a spaniel), which had been hunting about at some distance in advance of us, gave a yell, which summoned the others to him, and we followed as fast as our bipedal powers would permit us. The dogs united in a general howl; and when we came up with them, we found them scratching almost madly in the neighbourhood of one of the above-mentioned holes, but at a very respectful distance from it, for from its interior issued an indescribable sound, which might have appalled a lion. As near as I can convey the idea of it, it was a fierce hissing, mingled with a growl. Conceiving that the tenant of this asylum might be a weasel or some animal of that tribe, we poked at the aperture with our sticks, and cheered the poor dogs on to an assault. At length, an enormous cobra de capello burst forth, furiously enraged. On the first appearance of his head, the four-footed tribe retreated a few yards, then halted, turned,

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and held the foe at bay, whilst the rational portion of the party commended themselves to the protection of those locomotive engines so well spoken of in Hudibras, and so naturally referred to on such occasions. Our ignominious flight continued to the full distance of twenty paces, when we halted and faced about. We then witnessed a most extraordinary spectacle. In the centre of a large circle formed by the dogs, rose the snake, with hood distended, and about a yard of his body erect, gracefully curled like the neck of a swan. In this attitude he wheeled rapidly about, fixing his diamond-like eyes, quickly as light, on any antagonist which, bolder than the rest, attempted to draw the circle closer around him. This war of "demonstrations" lasted for perhaps a quarter of an hour, the dogs barking furiously all the time, when one of them made a spring upon the reptile, when his head was partly turned in another direction; but he underrated the activity of his foe, and was bitten. A general attack now commenced, and the snake was soon torn to pieces. He died not unavenged, as Byron says. Two of the dogs received their death-wound, each bitten in the upper lip. For about ten minutes afterwards, their spirits appeared to be unnaturally excited: they then began to sicken and retch, though they were unable to vomit; violent convulsions and death soon succeeded.

THE more simply life is supported, and the less stimulus we use, the better.

SOME men are like musical glasses; to produce their finest tones you must keep them wet.Coleridge.

A LADY once complimented Dr. Johnson on there being no indecent words in his dictionary-" What! you've been looking for them, have you?" exclaimed the lexicographer.

HABIT hath so vast a prevalence over the human mind that there is scarce anything too strange or too strong to be asserted of it. The story of the miser, who from long accustoming to cheat others, came at last to cheat himself, and with great delight and triumph picked his own pocket of a guinea to convey to his hoard, is not impossible or improbable.

RISING GENIUS.

A BOY, who displayed a long dangling watchchain, was asked, "What's the time of day, Joshua?" He drew out his watch very ceremoniously, and, after examining it awhile, referred to another, and asked, "Is this the figury nine or the figury seven?" He was told that it was the "figury" seven. "Well then, Joseph, it lacks just about half an inch of eight."

OLD PROVERBS.

1. So much of passion, so much of nothing to the purpose. 2. Of little meddling comes great ease. 3. Prayer brings down the first blessing, and praise the second. 4. When sorrow is asleep, wake it not. 5. A covetous man, like a dog in a wheel, roasts meat for others to eat. 6. Peace with heaven is the best friendship. 7. He that lives long in bed his estate feels it. pleasure that will bite to-morrow. the house where there is no chiding.

8. Fly the 9. Woe be to 10. Living

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well is the best revenge we can take on our enemies. 11. The shortest answer is doing the thing. 12. Talk much and err much. 13. In the husband wisdom, in the wife gentleness. 14. Pardon others, but not thyself. 15. Take care to be what thou wouldst seem. 16. Neither praise nor dispraise thyself, thy actions serve the turn. Courtesy on one side only lasts not long. 18. If the brain sows not corn, it plants thistles. 19. Let us ride fair and softly that we get home the sooner. 20. A man's best fortune, or his worst, is a wife. 21. One ounce of discretion, or of wisdom, is worth two pounds of wit. 22. Use soft words and hard arguments. 23. The devil tempts others, an idle man tempts the devil. 24. A fool and his money are soon parted. 25. Fear of hell is the true valour of a Christian. 26. A friend's frown is better than a fool's smile. 27. Money is a good servant, but an ill master. 28. Modesty is fortune's right hand, and frugality is her left. 29. Giving much to the poor doth increase a man's store. 30. The charitable man gives out at the door, and God puts in at the window. 31. One hours' sleep before midnight, is worth two hours' sleep after it. 32. Fly pleasure, and it will follow thee. 33. Keep your shop, and your shop will keep you. 34. He who converses with nobody, knows nothing. 35. Wit is folly, unless a wise man has the keeping of it. 36. Knowledge of God and of ourselves is the mother of true devotion, and the perfection of wisdom. 37. Words instruct, but examples prevail effectually. Always refuse the advice which passion gives. 39. The best and noblest conquest is that of a man's reason over his passions and follies. 40. He has

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a good judgment who does not despise that of others. 41. The best throw on the dice is to throw them away. 42. Praise does a wise man good, but a fool harm.

REASON FOR MENTAL CULTIVATION.

IT was said, with truth, by Charles the Twelfth of Sweden, that he who was ignorant of the arithmetical art was but half a man. With how much greater force may a similar expression be applied to him who carries to his grave the neglected and unprofitable seeds of faculties, which it depended on himself to have reared to maturity, and of which the fruits bring accessions to human happiness— more precious than all the gratifications which power or wealth can command.

EQUESTRIAN HINTS.

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THERE is a race of young sportsmen who, though they don't shine in after years, can make horses go that nobody else will ride-butchers' boys. A horse that can't be kept upon his legs will carry a butcher's boy along as briskly as a five-year old, and never make a false step; there must be a something between them and the animal that nobody but a butcher's boy can understand. reins hanging as loose as a halter, and with the baskets across their arm, they sail on full gallop as easily as madam in a sedan-chair. I always think when they are on the back of a horse that they are the most saucy, independent, and happy rogues in the world. I remarked this the other day, when a spruce young gentleman was riding along, and his horse shied at a coal-cart and threw him over the pummel of his saddle. A butcher's boy riding after sings out-"I say, mister, the