and the quality is better than that of the cow. The male calves are there for the most part destroyed. What beef they would yield has never been fairly tried, for they are never castrated. Of the few preserved, the major part are sent to Dacca, to be employed in sacrifices. In South Behar, they are used during the rains in ploughing the fields preparing for the rice crop; but the buffalo is not generally employed for such service, not being able to endure the heat so well as the ox. They subsist upon leaves and much coarser herbage.* THE BELLE OF THE WEST. LET Spain boast her beauty with eyebrow of jet; This prides in complexion, and that in her glance; In Afric the heart-strings, relax'd by the clime, In climes of the East, famed for Intellect's march, Woman's love, a commodity barter'd and sold, Bright, blooming, and blest, like her own verdant hills→→→ She sings, as she glides adown wedlock's calm sea:— St. Lucia. HENRY H. Breen. Agri-Hort. Trans. of India, ii. 220. AUSTRALIAN SKETCHES. BY THOMAS M'COMBIE, ESQ. No. III.-THE MERCHANT'S BRIDE. (Concluded.) CHAPTER XIII. ABOUT ten o'clock, on that very evening, two persons were seated in an hotel in Sydney, known as the Royal Consort. As they are well known to the reader, it may be as well to allay his curiosity regarding them, by informing him that they were Mr. Field, and his friend the tall lawyer. The last-mentioned person was dressed rather fantastically in white trousers, with long Hessian boots, which became his spindle legs singularly ill. He wore the undress coat of a naval officer, with about as much authority as any sweep in the streets : upon a fine white waistcoat several gold chains were crossed and re-crossed; and a little glazed hat, set very knowingly over the right eye, completed the equipment of the charming figure, who sat with his knees upon the edge of the table, listening to Thiny Field, and enjoying all the abandon of cigars and brandy. "You are an out-and-out trump, by eggs and potatoes! Field," at length said the tall lawyer, when Thiny had related to him the whole circumstance of the scene on board the Albatross, with all the exaggerations which an active fancy could suggest. "I wish I had the same luck with the ladies as you; I do, by eggs and turnips!" "Why, you know," replied Field, "I was brought up in the best society. You know, I believe, that I was a page to George the Fourth ?" "No, I did not." "I was, indeed; and even now, my governor is one of the richest men in England. I have nothing to do but go home, only I won't; I would rather rough it out here for a few years." "Indeed! would you, indeed!" "I did not tell you the best of the story. When Butler was sent on shore, I found time to ask him to inform Tomlin all was right. When he heard I was dining as a friend on board the Albatross with Mr. and Mrs. Mackie, he hardly knew what to think, and really believed it was all right. When I called, he hugged me, and called me his friend and his deliverer. I asked him if he could lend me fifty pounds." "And did he do it?" "He stumped up like a brick, poor devil! How surprised he will be when he finds out that it is a hoax!" 46 Well, of all the smart hands ever I met, you are the smartest, Field," said the tall lawyer, holding up his hands in admiration of the trick. "I do not know what I shall do when you are away." Why not make up your old mind to go with me? What a jolly lark we should have!" "I have no money." "Pooh! no more have I but who knows us in Hobart Town, if we go by an assumed name?" "That is the very reason; without money, and knowing no one, what could I do?" 66 "I am "You do not half know the world!" replied Thiny. ashamed of you. That is the reason you will do. The only thing against us would be, being too well known." "I do not think I can go. But what do you mean to do when you reach Hobart Town ?" "I mean to come out extensively, and flare up like blazes; then nail some money, and go into the Insolvent Court," replied Thiny. "You are a regular trump, Thiny; you are the man for this country; not over-burthened with principle." "Principle! Your grandmother! Principle! Do you think there is such a thing in the world?" replied Thiny. Principle, forsooth! I think I see a man of principle; yes, they would tear his eyes out." "Ah, I wish I had seen as much of the fashionable world as you, Mr. Field." "Yes; when I was a merchant, I moved in the very best society," replied Thiny. "Where did you trade to ?" "Nowhere. I purchased of one party, gave my bill, then sold to another." "Let me see. "What was the best hit you ever made? Now, Thiny; come." Yes; the best hit I ever had was from a singular circumstance. A young gentleman of fortune put his money into my hands-being then in good credit. He was to give orders upon me just as he required it, and away he went up the country. One day, while hunting, he followed an opossum into a tree, and took his gun in his hand; while stepping from one branch to another, the gun went off, the shot going through the brain, leaving him dead on the spot. The balance in my hands was then about eight hundred pounds; and when the Registrar of the Supreme Court sent in for my account current, I made myself debtor to the poor young gentleman five shillings and eightpence farthing, and sent him the cash, asking him to come and see the books." "Then, what if he had come?" Ah, yes! But do you know how my books were kept? All debtors, and no creditors. Everything any person had was charged them, but no person ever got credit for anything-it was for them to prove that." "But this was no way of keeping books." "It was my only source of revenue. Nevertheless, I always sold cheaper than I purchased, and made a good thing of it for many years. Many persons were unable to dispute their accounts, and were obliged to stump up twice. Then, when hard pressed for money, I used to show my creditors my books, who, seeing only one side of the account, thought I must have a large sum of money out, and gave me time." "Were you often hard pressed ?" "Yes," replied Thiny, "I just was. I used to have a fine gig; and, when in a counting-house, made a bolt: my foot was no sooner on the step than away I shot, leaving a half-dozen duns behind." It happened to be a day of festivity, from some cause or other, with the lower order of Irish; at this moment a confused noise of drumming and music was heard. "Here is some jolly row," said Thiny, seizing his hat. and let us see what it is." 66 Come on, When they reached the street, they found the noise was at some little distance, therefore they ran until they mingled in the crowd. Before, marched a drummer and one or two performers upon the bugle; ridges of black, dirty, half-wild looking Irishmen followed in fast succession. At length the whole cavalcade stopped opposite the Irish Hotel. The attention of the crowd was divided between the musical performers and a drunken individual, who pretended to be an orator, and who was addressing the crowd at a great rate upon men and things in general. "Yes," said he, "I am here-('O yes, you are all there, Paddy,' exclaimed a voice from the crowd)—an Irishman, who is not ashamed of his country. Here am I, ready to fight any one, a Limerick man— ('And a dirty county it is!' exclaimed a voice again)—and ready to fight for my country! Hurrah! I say, how dare you speak to or insult that female? Don't you know it is my wife, you blackguard ?" "Me insult your wife! I would not insult a flea, let alone a woman. How could I know it was your wife?" "Well, but you have no right to go a-spaking to my wife; and, although no great hand at fighting, I will polish you." "Bravo!" cried Thiny. "Go it, my boys. Make a ring." Neither of the combatants, however, appeared to have much stomach for fighting in earnest. It was very well as long as it was confined to mere words; but when it came to wear a more serious aspect, each became satisfied in an instant. Thiny, seeing it would be out of his power to foment the quarrel to a fight, walked back, muttering curses against the cowardly blackguards. Thiny and his worthy friend kept on drinking brandy-and-water until it was time for the former to be moving, when Thiny, to the great wonder of the tall lawyer, informed him he was to stand treat, and pay the evening's bill. The tall lawyer was so astonished at this, that he had not power to say a word in refusal. "Come on," said Thiny; "I must go home for my traps, and, in half an hour, I must be off." When they reached the small premises occupied by Thiny, they found great difficulty in obtaining admission, as the sullen servant, indignant at being left so much alone, had, from sheer spite, closed the keyhole from the inside, by stuffing another key into it. They knocked and kicked; but, for a length of time, every effort on their part failed to elicit any reply from the interior. At length a faint groan was heard, as of one rousing himself from a deep slumber, and a voice inquired who was at the door. 66 'Open it, if you do not want me to kill you outright, you ugly stupid crawler," said Thiny. The key at length was withdrawn from the lock inside, and Thiny opened the door. A great deal of wrangling and recrimination ensued between Thiny and the sulky servant-man, which, however amusing to the tall lawyer, would tire the reader. A light was procured, and Thiny produced a bottle of port-wine, which he said they must pull away at pretty fast, as it was near daylight, which was the hour given him to be off. "And how will you settle your auctioneering business?" inquired the tall lawyer. 66 'Why," replied Thiny, "it is all but settled. Let me see: there was a three-dozen case of port-wine put in for sale by Connor, the publican; there is two dozen and a half of it that I have used myself. Then little Milne put me in a score of hams,-I think we have eaten about ten of them; then there was a case of shoes, which were sold, but the money was spent. Well, I see, I will write my creditors a polite note to say that I have been compelled to leave the Colony for a short time, and that not having time to make the proper arrangements, I have made everything over to them." "When do you mean to return?" inquired the tall lawyer. "It is not by any means improbable that when this has blown over, I may return.' "What kind of a vessel is the Albatross ? better than the ship you told me the yarn about that Mackie smuggled a hundred casks of brandy in, and when chased by a cutter beat him to sticks?" "Oh, I know, it was the Dusty Miller, a fine schooner; but, bless your soul! a wheelbarrow to the Albatross; only do not mention anything about that, as I could not prove it, although I had it from a sailor who was on board the cutter with Weatherall, and who said it was Biggs. But here is daylight; so good-bye, old fellow." Had Thiny been ten minutes later, he would have lost his passage, as the preparations for getting the Albatross under weigh were all but completed, and the boat from the water-police office was alongside clearing out the vessel. Weatherall had entertained strong suspicions of Biggs, and had taken so many opportunities of annoying and insulting him, that his reason was beginning to wander, being, as we have already said, of a hot, passionate temperament. When the officer on duty was satisfied, he said, " All right, Biggs; you may sheer off." Well, then," replied Biggs," it ain't all right; you must just walk below. Now, Mr. ," continued Biggs, when once fairly inside the cabin, do you see this?" producing a large box of grape-shot. "Now you keep out of the cutter for half an hour." 66 66 "Stuff! how, in the name of all that is good, could you talk so? |