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The little pool was of the consistence of pea-soup when the cattle were driven off home to the village. I made my dinner of bread and beer, while my comrade eat a couple of black indigestible-looking soft flat cakes, with some black sugar like treacle, and drank from the pool!

The sun was going down as we spread the blanket in the pit, and Bussassa tipped the muzzles of my guns with chunam.* Side by side we sat, silent as mutes-there was no alloy to the happiness of that hour.

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Our first visitants were the monkeys, who were whooping and springing from branch to branch, fighting, shrieking, and chattering; a red republic they were, without order or authority among them: might was right, and that was decided by length of teeth. Down they flopped one after the other, some with children hanging round their necks, some in pairs agreeing indifferently; some confirmed old bachelors, friendly to none. young man-about-town, or gentishlooking monkey, with his eye on the other sex, would drop from a branch, and commence showing off and ingratiating himself into the good graces of a quiet young mother with an infant, when whop would come down a great fellow and start him up the next tree with a flea in his ear: who was no sooner safe from immediate vengeance than he would relieve his wounded pride by chattering a volley of abuse at the tall bully, upon which tall bully would skim up after him, to pay him out; and then commenced a race and steeple chase, such rash leaps, such drops from branch to branch, that the lookers on could remain neutral no longer, but joined in the hunt, chasing the chaser or the chased in delicious confusion.

When they were tired of this sport, they dropped from the trees in twos and threes, and trotted on all fours up to the water, and on their knees and hands sucked their fill.

Then we had a flock of peafowl to look at, and jungle-fowl, all su

premely ignorant of our presence: till the shades grew deep, when they retired as the broad red moon rose over the tree-tops-like a great cheese. As she mounted higher, and the last traces of sunlight vanished, she grew paler and brighter, and soon appeared like a disc of burnished silver, flooding the scene with her fairy light.

The stars were almost quenched; and as the eye returned from the deep blue, limitless expanse of ether, and rested on the glistening foliage of the feathery bamboos, all at play in the breeze, you might fancy you heard chords of delicious melody floating through the air-the music of the spheres!

I began to repeat to myself:The moon shines bright:-In such a night as this,

When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,

And they did make no noise; in such a night,

Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan

walls,

And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian

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* Lime. It is necessary that the sight of a gun should be white, in order to see it after sunset.

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rudely broken as my eye rested on Bussassa's leather skullcap, shining in the moonlight; his head was on his breast, arms folded, legs outstretched, and each toe standing out stiff and distinct from its neighbour, one of his great toes wrapped round with a bit of rag to solace it; for a bauble thorn had wounded it in the morning.

Bassassa was a good man and true, but by no manner of means a pleasant substitute for the ideal 'Jessica.' I revenged myself on him by giving him a poke under the fifth rib, which woke him at once; he, however, assured me in a whisper that he had never been asleep.

After carefully raising his eyes above the pit, he took a searching scrutiny around, and then lowered his head, and commenced untying an old pink calico handkerchief. I was rather surprised to see some bits of a broken cocoa-nut and a small bunch of plantains drop out; he peeled a plantain, and holding it in his doubtful fingers, politely offered it to me. I excused myself, and peeled and ate another, while Bussassa helped himself.

Oh, we are certain to get a shot; Huniman will be very glad because you made poojah' to him: I am nothing but an English gentleman! Oh! it's a great honour for him, without doubt.'

I make poojah?' I indignantly exclaimed. What do you mean P

You gave me the order, sir, in the morning, you know very well, and I went and got the fruit, and offered it, when the horsekeeper went to the tent for the blanket and bread.'

Why, you said you wanted half a rupee; did I give it to you?'

No, sir, you did not, certainly, but the horsekeeper did, and he told me not to trouble you again, but to go at once and make the poojah.'

Oh the scoundrel! if I don't pay him out to-morrow!'

No, sir, don't be angry with the horsekeeper-it is my fault, but what harm has been done? Have you not got the plantains to eat? Take another, sir.'

Oh, thought I, this is disgraceful. Here have I actually offered up sacrifice to Huniman,' the monkey

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God! and it will get all over the cantonment. And, in sheer desperation, I commenced eating the plantains, vowing vengeance against the horsekeeper, and highly applauding his benevolence in my heart at the same time; and the moon showed that I was smiling, while Bussassa struggled grimly to suppress his satisfaction at the success of his pious fraud.

'Peet, peet, ti teewit-peet-ti-teewit,' cried a plover, as she flew towards us, and passed over our heads. Bussassa's eyes were on the instant straining in the direction she came from, trying to penetrate the deep shadows under the trees on the margin of the jungle. I asked him in a whisper if he saw anything; he squeezed my arm, and held it, squeezing and relaxing his hold by turns. At last he squeezed harder and harder as I saw a figure moving under the shadow of the trees, which almost immediately walked out into the moonlight an immense stag, as big as an Arab horse. Two hinds followed him, and all three began to graze towards us-nearer, and nearer, till at last they raised their heads, and after a moment's survey, with their great leaf-like cars pricked, walked leisurely towards the water.

I believe I was more excited at that moment than I ever was before or since, for my first stag was standing knee-deep in the soft mud, twelve paces from the muzzle of my gun!

Oh that earnest, long-protracted aim-I was sure I should miss him: and that provoking Bussassa was giving me little stabs in the side with his fingers, and, in an authoritative and exasperated manner, whispered, Marro, Sahib-Marro gelde, Fire, sir-fire quick.'

Bang! My ears were filled with noise and confusion as the stag and his hinds sprang into the jungle, disappearing with the report of my gun. The smoke cleared off, and showed the ground as bare as it was five minutes before.

'I have not missed him,' I cried, in an appealing manner. Bussassa was standing up in the pit, with his ear on the ground outside. Girgia!' he chuckled out with a knowing nod -Girgia!—he has fallen.'

He jumped out of the pit, and I followed without asking why. Going on his hands and knees where the stag stood when I fired, he pointed to the wet mud. 'Deko, Sahib!' said he, and he pointed to a patch, as big as the crown of a hat, of short cut hair sprinkled on the mud.

'But he has gone off, Bussassa?' Ne, Sahib, ne; girgia, nusdig hai-No, sir, he has dropped, and is close at hand.' So saying, he went back to the pit, and brought out his sword, an ugly-looking weapon enough, and, leading the way, took up the pugg, and followed it into the jungle.

Hai, Sahib, hai-Shabash-here he is! bravo,' cried Bussassa, and he stood with one foot on the dead stag.

I could hardly believe in my good luck, as I walked round him, and contemplated his immense antlers. Oh, here's a trophy! if I never shoot another,' thought I.

'What did I tell you, sir ?' said Bussassa; 'did I not say we were sure to have luck if you made poojah to Huniman'? We shall get another shot before morning.' And he began to teardown small branches to cover the haunches of the stag. We protected the animal from the jackals as well as we could in a hurry, and returned to the pit; loaded the discharged barrel, and relapsed into silence. Sleep was out of the question-those antlers were too prominently before my mind's eye to admit such a weak

ness.

Spitter, spatter-spitter, spatter, went a host of little frogs, as they fled from the bank, and hopped along on the top of the water, like flying-fish pursued by a dolphin. Our eyes were instantly peering out over the margin of our hidingplace.

Only a jackal! Not a jackal,' whispered Bussassa, a baloo,' the genuine lion's provider-understood to be an old jackal, who, no longer able to hunt for himself, follows a tiger, as the pilot-fish does a shark, only, for obvious reasons, at a more respectful distance.

He lapped some water, and came smelling along towards our place; stopped, and stared in our direction with his ears pricked forwards;

could make nothing of us, and sat down, and began to scratch his ear like a dog; then taking a long look at the surrounding forest, as if he was thinking, trotted off into the shadows.

We presently heard his peculiar shriek and bark, such a noise as could only be imitated by a suddenly frightened cur dog.

About half an hour after this visit, a noise of many feet attracted our attention, and, grunting and squeaking, came a sounder of some thirty hog. A huge boar, with tremendous tusks, led the party, consisting of pigs of every age, down to a family of squeakers of two months old. They were on the opposite side of the pool, some thirty paces off, but the night was so light that you could almost see their eyes.

Again my gun was tremulously grasped and pointed, and again Bussassa jogged and nudged me, and whispered Marro gelde.' The same confusion was among the pigs on the report of my gun, but this time, as the smoke cleared off, a large black mass lay wriggling in the mud. A victorious girgia' from Bussassa, and an English hurrah' from Hardbargain, and they both were standing over the prostrate boar, Bussassa, in the excess of his joy, kicking the dead pig with the flat of his foot, and heaping abusive epithets on him and on his mother and sisters.

We returned to our hiding-place, and I loaded again, while Bussassa sang praises to Huniman.' I was satisfied with my success, though Bussassa still promised another shot, as it was not later than twelve or one o'clock.

The faint boom of a gun came on the breeze; Bussassa referred it to a pool about four miles off, where a village Shicaree had probably made a successful shot.

Presently I heard, for the first time, the clear, musical bark of the spotted deer-so clear-sounding that it always gives one an idea of frosty air. Our friend the 'baloo' we also heard from time to time, yelling and barking as if he was baying at his awful companion. Bussassa looked uneasy.

The moon was rapidly slanting towards the west, and I grew sleepy

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effect produced by performance. Singers with other great and varied excellences have arisen since the time of Bartleman; but the same splendid voice, the same untiring zeal, the same mental energy, and the same independence of character, as well as the same knowledge and love of his art, must unite in one person in order to form another singer like him; for into the discharge of his duty all these qualities habitually entered.

The race of his eminent musical contemporaries is nearly extinct; one only of his frequent associates remaining. The following sketch comes from one who knew him in the zenith of his fame, who has been with him in public and in private, who enjoyed the privilege of occasionally singing with him, and the advantage of his advice and assistance. A few years more, and Bartleman's remaining hearers will have followed him; and tradition, unless assisted by some record like the present, will only hand down his name as one of the eminent singers of his day.

James Bartleman, the finest singer that the English school has produced, was born, it is believed, in Westminster, September 19,1769. At the usual age he was admitted into the choir of Westminster Abbey, of which Dr. Cooke was then organist and master of the boys. His voice and capacity soon raised him above his contemporaries, and he became a deserved favourite with his master. His early familiarity with the best specimens of the highest style of music disciplined and formed his taste, and his admiration of the great masters of the English school, imbibed when a boy, terminated only with his life. Miss Hawkins, the daughter of the musical historian, in her Anecdotes and Biographical Sketches, thus speaks of him as a boy:- Bartleman would sometimes spend the leisure part of a whole day at our house, where, at my father's request, he would sing whatever was put before him, and with the sweetness of a lark pour forth his mellifluous notes. It was when called upon to sing a solo anthem that he most shone and most delighted. I now seem to hear him in Greene's 'Acquaint thyself

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with God;' and may I never forget the impression of those sounds. His fine taste was either natural to him, or showed itself so early as to make it appear so. Under Dr. Cooke's tuition it met with every encouragement; and I think it must be acknowledged by all who ever heard him, that, excepting the lark 'singing up to heaven's gate,' nothing more melodious ever warbled in the air.'

The Academy of Ancient Music, though verging towards extinction, was still supported by a respectable list of subscribers, and young Bartleman was allowed to take his place among the principal trebles, for which voice, education, and taste eminently qualified him. Of his early superiority,' Miss Hawkins adds, 'he was as little vain as if it had consisted in spinning a top or trundling a hoop; and, let me add, that in the goodness of his nature he never forgot where he had spent so many of his boyish hours; and that whatever time elapsed without our writing, he was always prompt and eager to express his unabated regard for us. Success never altered, applause never elevated him; and he died, as he had lived, beloved beyond the usual degree of love bestowed on those whose excellence has no companion.'

When his voice broke, Bartleman resolved on making music his profession, for which he assiduously qualified himself by diligent study. He applied himself to the practice of the organ and pianoforte, and became also an excellent performer on the violoncello. He studied with the fondness of an enthusiast the works of the Italian, English, and Flemish madrigal writers, and early began to form that unrivalled collection of them which was unfortunately dispersed at his death. In 1793, he joined the Madrigal Society, where he associated with his master Dr. Cooke, Stevens, Horsley, Spofforth, Robert Cooke, and other less eminent composers of the English school. The library of this society yet contains many compositions which he scored for its use. Two years before, he had been elected a member of the Catch Club, where he was accustomed to meet Webbe, Callcott, Harrison, Knyvett,

morning, I made myself up for a

nap.

When I awoke, there was a streak of light in the east. The morning was breaking. It was light enough to see that Bussassa was right, the boar was gone! The tiger had positively juggled him away from almost under our very noses, without our hearing any noise.

'I wish I had got a sight at that tiger,' said I.

If you had fired, sir, when his head was towards us, growling in that way, you would never have shot again, at tigers or anything else; he would have been on us and killed us both. It is the same that killed my brother.'

'Pooh, pooh, Bussassa,' said I, how many tigers have been killed in this district since then?'

'It is the same, sir, every one knows that; he has never been killed, and never will be: he is not a common tiger, he is a devil.'

'Oh! that is the reason you were so frightened then?'

'I was not frightened, sir, for myself; what should I have done if you had been killed ?'

'I think, Bussassa, you would have done what you did when your brother was killed, and taken to your heels.'

The old fellow was thoroughly vexed now, and began to mumble to himself, and as I felt that it was only his position in my service that prevented his giving me a bit of his mind, I confessed that I was never in such a stew in my life, and that we had had a most narrow escape, and that he showed great coolness in holding my gun down.

Bussassa came round at once, and on the principle of 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours,' declared that young English gentlemen had no fear, and required prudent Shicarees to keep them out of danger.

We now drew our balls and loaded with some large shot that I had with me: and, as the sun rose over the dripping jungle, got raking shots at the pea-fowl when they came to drink. Killing six, including a splendid doom-waller-a cock with a train six feet long.

Thus ended this, to me, memorable night, my first in the jungle. My servant with some bread and a bottle of tea, and the horsekeeper with the pony, were with us by six. We found the boar about two hundred yards off, with his hind quarters eaten, and as I had a day's journey to make to get to cantonments, and but one more day's leave, I reluctantly left him for the tiger: hoping to cultivate the devil's acquaintance next moon, and in greater security. Bussassa highly approved of this resolution, and was not so positive about his immortality.

The boar's and stag's head were cut off, and sent on to cantonment to be stuffed. I gave the venison to Bussassa, who divided a portion with my servants and sold the rest to the villagers of Gouldscope.

'Well, I am glad you have returned in safety,' said a punsterfriend of mine, to whom I that night related my adventures. Although you lost your pork, you saved your bacon.'

MEMOIR OF JAMES BARTLEMAN.

The painter's dead, yet still he charms the eye,
While England lives, his fame can never die;
But he who struts his hour upon the stage
Can scarce protract his fame through half an age,
Nor pen nor pencil can the actor save,
The art and artist have one common grave.

THE truth contained in these lines,

which were written by Garrick, was afterwards amplified and applied to the great actor in Sheridan's monody upon him, and equally does it describe the transient popularity of the singer. It is perhaps still more difficult to convey any suffi.

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cient notion of the quality, power, and varied inflection of the singing voice, and the peculiar and striking expression which it is sometimes capable of producing, than of the speaking tones and gesture of an actor. In the former case we can scarcely do more than relate the

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