disinterested friend on enquiry possessed no license, he would not of course shoot; and our friend not being provided with either gun or license, no birds were bagged during any of these trials.

The dogs each time performed marvellously well, and a big price was, of course, demanded, which was generously paid, and with high expectations of astonishing us sportsmen at home, these invaluable animals were shipped for this country, where they arrived in safe keeping.

The hunting season came around, and nothing was thought of or talked of in the little circle, but our friend's "imported Pointers." At length, one bright October morning, the joyous owner, big with expectations, sallied forth to the fields, with these much-lauded dogs. See how lightly they spring the fences, look how they range far and wide over the fields!

"See how the well-taught Pointer leads the way;

The scent grows warm; they stop, they find the prey:"

with eager step the sportsmen advance, the covey rises, pop go the guns, and away over hill and dale went the dogs, yelping like so many hounds in full chase.

One of these valuable animals, more frightened than the other, was soon out of sight, and was never again seen, while the other could never afterwards be induced to follow any one carrying a gun.

The "cat was now out of the bag;" the dogs, to save trouble and expense, were broken without ever having heard the report of a gun.

As regards the size of the English Pointer, we may say that he averages in length, about three feet from tip of the muzzle to the base of the tail, and from twenty-two to twenty-six inches highHis head not bulky nor too narrow, the frontal sinuses largely developed. The muzzle long and rather tapering, the nostrils large and well open, the ear slightly erect, not over long, and the tip triangular; if too pendant, large and rounded at the tip, there is too much of the Hound present. The eyes lively but not too prominent, the neck rather long and not over thick, the chest broad, the limbs large and muscular, the paws strong, hard and wider,

the body and loins thin, rather than bulky, the hind quarters broad, and the limbs in the same proportion with the fore-members, the tail long and tapering.

Philadelphia, February, 1846.

BUFFALO HUNTING.

FEW gentlemen have enjoyed more sport on the Western Prairies, or described it better, than H. H. SIBLEY, Esq., of St. Peters, Wisconsin. In the account subjoined, the reader will see what articles of equipment are required to enjoy Buffalo-Hunting in perfection, while at the same time it contains several suggestions of the highest importance to those who propose making an excursion to the illimitable prairies which skirt the base of the Rocky Mountains.

"In the month of October, 1842, I took with me eight horses and carts, in charge of five Canadians and one American, and with my old hunting companions, ALEX. F. and JACK FRAZER, wended my way towards the buffalo region. We expected to find these animals at or about the Minday Mecoche Wakkon, or Lake of the Spirit Land, a distance of a hundred and fifty miles. The first few days we amused ourselves with shooting grouse, ducks, and geese, of which there were a great abundance. One of the party knocked over twenty ducks at a single shot, nineteen of which were secured. Of course we did not lack for provant. As we advanced further inland, where we hoped to find elk, a veto was put on all discharges of fire-arms at small game, as the report of a gun will set the keen-eared animals in motion at the distance of miles. On the seventh day out, Jack Frazer reported that he had seen some game, but whether buffalo or elk he could not tell, as they were too far off. Our glass being put in requisition, we soon found them to be a small herd of the latter, lying down at the base of a hill about six miles off. Notwithstanding the excitement which warmed us at the prospect of a chase, the beauty of the scene which broke upon our vision from the height

whereon we stood, attracted the attention of the most thoughtless of the party. A large lake, which might have been taken for the 'Glimmer Glass' of Cooper, stretched itself out at right angles with our course, about a mile beyond where the elk lay. The prairie, clothed in its variegated autumn garb, appeared to rise and fall like the undulations of the ocean, and in all directions might be perceived points of woodland giving forth all the different tints and hues peculiar to an American forest. A thin belt of lofty trees encircled the lake, showing through their intervals the bright sheet of water, which lay, unruffled by a breeze, in all its glorious beauty. It seemed almost a sacrilege against Nature thus to invade her solitudes, only to carry with us dismay and death. But other, and certainly not more holy thoughts, soon dissipated in us all sense of the magnificence of the scene. Our measures were taken to circumvent the elk.

"Alex., Jack Frazer, and myself, as the only experienced hunters, were to approach and fire, while the others of the party mounted their horses, and were stationed under the cover of the hill, except one man, who remained in charge of the carts and baggage. With this man I left my hunting horse, ready saddled, with instructions to mount as soon as he heard our guns, and come with all speed to my stand. These precautions taken, and having stripped ourselves of all superflous clothing, we commenced the delicate operation of approach. A few yards brought us in full view of the herd, which, unsuspicious of danger, were lolling lazily in the sunshine. Throwing ourselves flat upon the ground, we wormed ourselves along with Indian stealthiness, under cover of the short grass. We had proceeded thus about half a mile, when we came to a marsh, which it was found we must necessarily pass. The water here was two feet deep, and the exertion of crawling through the knotted grass, and of securing, at the same time, our guns from moisture, while we kept ourselves concealed, was excessively severe. By dint of unremitting efforts we passed silently through this serious obstacle, and emerged upon dry ground within sixty yards of the game. We here examined our arms, renewed our primings, and sprang upon our feet, not wishing to fire until the elk rose. As these magnificent creatures bounded off in great confusion, our double

barrels were discharged, and three elk fell dead. Jack F., who sported a single-barrel, made a clean miss, as usual. In fact, he was a miserable shot. With an eye like an eagle, firm nerves, and active withal as a wild cat, it was not one of Jack's 'gifts' to shoot well. Unfortunately Alex. F. and myself had aimed our second barrels at the same large animal, which came to the ground riddled with balls and buckshot, otherwise we might have secured a fourth without doubt. As the remaining fifteen or twenty fled at full speed, we could hear the shouts of the horsemen as they discharged their pieces. They failed, however, to hit a single elk. My horse was presently at my side, and as soon as I was mounted, the noble animal, entering into the spirit of the chase, set off at racing speed. The elk were now a mile ahead, and I passed successively each of the Canadians on their jaded horses, vainly struggling to keep with the chase. Wright, the American, who was well mounted, was thrown headlong from the saddle, and when I overtook the herd after a run of six miles, I perceived his horse running side by side with the elk. I had left my double-barrel behind, trusting to a revolving pistol to do execution. But my hands were so benumbed by long immersion in the cold water, that I could not pull the trigger. Shifting the revolver to my left hand, I managed to discharge it at a large female elk, at a distance of not more than ten feet. The ball took effect à posteriori, and the animal was so much wounded that she plunged headlong into a wide boggy stream, through which, after incredible efforts, she succeeded in passing, leaving me no other alternative than to abandon the chase, the nature of the ground rendering it impossible to cross.

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"I succeeded in securing the runaway horse, with which I returned to my companions, who had already made preparations to encamp on the border of the lake. Here we spent one day in preserving the meat of the slain elk, which was accomplished by cutting it into thin slices, when it was spread out upon a scaffold, and a fire kindled under, which soon dried it thoroughly.

"The next morning there were myriads of ducks and geese in and about the lake, and the discipline of the camp was so far relaxed as to allow a few shots to be fired among them, which afforded us an ample supply.

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Continuing our course southwestwardly, we reached Lac Blanc, a fine sheet of water, which bore upon its surface swan, geese, and ducks in great numbers, which we did not disturb, as there was fresh sign' of elk, and traces of buffalo. From this point we followed a small stream which ran through very swampy ground, and which was literally covered with wild-fowl. These poor creatures were not at all shy, giving evidence of their utter ignorance of the arts of the great destroyer, man. In fact, geese, mallard, and other wild ducks, were innumerable, and I doubt not that either good shot of the party might have destroyed a thousand in a day. But we were in search of nobler game, and not a single discharge of a gun was permitted.

"The day after we struck the stream, and while we were still following it, Jack Frazer was going along in the high grass at a little distance from the party, when he threw himself suddenly from his horse, and appeared to seize hold of some object at his feet, at the same time calling for assistance. There was a general roar of laughter when we reached him. He had seized two large raccoons which were sleeping quietly in the grass, each one by the tail. Startled at this unexpected assault upon their nether extremities, the coons made a joint effort to nab our friend Jack, who, with tail-hold fairly fixed, endeavoured to evade their bite by jumping about in all directions. He was so expert with his sudden pulls and twitches, that he escaped without injury for a little time, until, encumbered with the weight of his victims, he ceased hopping, and at that moment one of them got Jack by the leg, when he incontinently gave up the battle. With a desire to see fair play, none of us would interfere while this farce was being enacted, but seeing our compagnon so badly treated, we revenged him by knocking the coons on the head.

"The accidental discharge of a gun by one of the men caused me to lose a shot at three buffalo. They had been quietly feeding on the low grounds along the stream, when, hearing the discharge, they dashed away over the open prairie. After holding a conseil de guerre, we concluded not to follow them until the next morning, as the day was already far spent. Selecting a favourable spot, we encamped, and the arms of the party were put in order for the expected sport. A large buck came out of