a most musical grunt now burst through the tall herbage, and instantly was bounding over the wide level plain, which, for the distance of a couple of miles continued unbroken, until where a line of tall water-canes appeared to cross its extensive surface; and towards this point our friend directed his, or rather her course, for it turned out to be an enormous sow, arrived at her full growth, but whose speed and vigour were nowise abated by that corpulency which, both in man and beast, is apt to stamp its weight on the years of maturity.

This gentle specimen of the bristly race, though far from possessing the beauty or symmetry of the gazelle or antelope, appeared almost to rival those animals in speed; and notwithstanding our horses were all doing their best, well assisted with the "Brummagems" and sharp edges of the shovel-shaped iron stirrups belonging to our Eastern friends,* still she kept a long way a-head of us, and we gained on her little or nothing for the first mile, which, although over hard ground, was deeply indented with sun-cracks and yawning chasms, across which we thundered along, luckily without accident or mishap.

From having had a better start than my companions, and perhaps a better horse, I had taken the lead, and maintained it, keeping the old Dongola at his very best speed. After a sharp burst of nearly a mile at this pace, I rapidly began to close with the chase, could hear the sobs of the interesting and distressed lady, and even distinctly see the white foam churning down from her wide opened and steaming chaps. We had now gained about half the distance between the rice-fields and the tall canes above mentioned, and which I concluded must border the banks of a canal. It was therefore of importance to bring the business to a close ere that point should be attained, and I stretched every nerve to effect this object. I was now close at the heels of the monster-the spurs were in my horse's flanks-my spear in rest-and a second more would have safely lodged its glittering point behind the high and bristly shoulder-blades; when the beast making a sudden turn at right angles, I was unavoidably thrown out. However, my ally, Smith, was at hand. He made a dash, which sent her back in the original course; and I was soon again close upon her, well raised in the stirrups, and straining forward to give the death-thrust. At this critical moment she floundered through a dark belt of deep marshy ground, which in our rapid course we had come on

unawares.

There was no time to pull up, and my horse-from the top of his speed-was instantaneously transferred to the top of his head, which firmly planted in the bog, caused me, at the same time, to make a somersault, luckily sending me clear of his over-rolling weight, and lodging my precious person, without injury or fracture, in the midst of a pool of fine fat and unctuous black mud. Some seconds elapsed ere I could release both myself and horse from this extremely unpleasant situation. Smith, in the meantime,

*The edge of this oriental stirrup acts on the horse's side as a spur, and a very severe one, inflicting often deep and severe gashes.

spurred on; but the ground had now so completely assumed a marshy character, as to render the odds of the race greatly in favour of our antagonist, who succeeded in gaining the covert of canes above alluded to, and which-on reaching-we found to border a broad and deep canal.

As we were pretty close up when our quarry had gained this shelter, and seeing no traces of her crossing the canal, we naturally concluded she was somewhere hid along its sedgy bank; and accordingly, with Snow and the Bedouin Sheikh-who had by this time come up-immediately commenced a diligent search, which proving ineffectual, we determined on swimming the canal, in hopes of hitting off her trail on the opposite side of the water.

Our Leander-like exploit produced, however, no other result than giving us a partial cleansing and at the end of a long and fruitless research, we gave it up as a bad job, regained the bank of the Mahmoudieh, near the village of El Birket, and at last reached our kunjah, after a severe day's work for both men and horses.

We continued for a couple of days longer at Abou-el-Kader, during which time we had several good runs, much resembling the one just described; but not succeeding in securing any heads or tusks, we will not try the reader's patience by a further description of our failures. Suffice it to say, this excursion proved that, with somewhat better nags, and at a rather earlier season of the yearbefore the country is quite so much under water-capital hoghunting may be had within twenty miles of Alexandria; to obtain which the sportsman has to go no farther than the villages of Abouel-Kader or El Birket, on the banks of the Canal.

Our Alexandrian friends were not a little astonished to hear, on our return, that they were actually in the midst of a fine hunting country-and numerous were the sporting parties in consequence projected; but professional duty now gave a summons which led me once more to the coast of Syria, where I shortly afterwards contracted a severe illness, obliging me hastily to depart for England; and thus were crushed in the very bud, and ended for the present, all hopes of further "Hog-hunting in the Plains of Lower Egypt."

CHAPTER XIX.

A PILGRIMAGE TO THE SHRINE OF ST. HUBERT.*

"Here is a holy pilgrim come,

From Salem first, and last from Rome;

One that hath kiss'd the blessed tomb,

And visited each holy shrine

In Araby and Palestine

On hills of Lebanon hath been

Where Noah's tomb may yet be seen."-MARMION.

ONCE more returned to Old England, it was not long ere I received a summons to join my regiment in the West Indies; but finding myself, through ill health, unequal to the task, "half-pay"

* St. Hubert is the Patron of the chase, and protector of all its votaries. The

-ominous sounding word!-was the painful alternative, to which a medical board, in its tender mercies, now consigned me. However, ere depositing myself for good, on the easy chair of repose in the snug little study, to which the reader has already been introduced, methought I was duty bound to visit the shrine of the good St. Hubert,--the hunter's patron, and who had so oft befriended me in the toils and dangers of the chase.

Rife with this intent, I girded up my loins, crossed the channel, and one gloomy autumnal morning, by the faint light of a grey dawn still struggling with the mists of night, I found myself with pack on back and staff in hand, wending my solitary course through the at this early hour-as yet deserted, dark, and narrow streets of the good old town of Liege; when, reaching the banks of the winding Meuse, I stepped on board the small iron steamer which, daily plying over its shallow waters, runs up the stream, through a never-ending variety of charming scenery, as far as Namur,-from whence I proposed commencing my pedestrian expedition to the shrine of St. Hubert, and being present at the celebration of his "fete." However, I was induced to alter my plans by falling in-whilst pacing the narrow deck of the little river craft-with a most agreeable companion, who expatiated so largely on the romantic beauties of the valley of the Houyeux, through which he was bound,-on a botanizing expedition into the Ardennes, that, glad of the chance of society, and foregoing my original purpose,-I landed, with my new acquaintance, at Huy.

My companion I soon found to be a complete enthusiast in the science he pursued-the vegetable world holding, in his estimation, first class amongst existing things; and being, according to his opinion, mysteriously linked by ties rarely understood by the vulgar, and oft imperceptible even to the initiated, with the more active though less noble part of animal creation; but though so completely wrapped up in this favourite science, my "compagnon de voyage" was from his general information and knowledge of the localities, well adapted to play the part of a Cicerone.

;

On landing at the small, though very ancient city of Huy,-the birthplace of Peter the Hermit, situated at the junction of that pretty, clear little stream: the Houyeux, with the broader Meuse he pointed out the chapel where, until within a few years past, had rested the bones of that first instigator of the Holy Wars-of the enthusiastic monk who, Cross in hand, had once raised nearly the whole chivalry of Christendom against the powers of Islam and the might of the Crescent. Here, also, was the spot where, in 1577, Marguerite de Valois, the Queen of Henry IV. of France, was nearly drowned by a sudden swell of the now puny stream before us; there were some ruins, attributed to the devastating hand of Attila and his barbarous Huns; in short, scarce a spot of this interesting country-the cradle of the Crusades--the birthplace of the tomb and shrine of the saint are in a remote spot in the midst of the wilds of the Ardennes, in Belgium, where every year his anniversary is solemnly kept on the third day of November.

pious Godfrey de Bouillon, and the scene of so many events in later times but was connected with some story or legend known to the "Botanist," in whose mouth the names of Charles of Burgundy, Louis XI., and William de la Marck-the terrible Boar of the Ardennes,--were now familiar as "household terms."

In such company, and amid such localities and scenery, the journey, as may be supposed, appeared neither long nor tedious; nor was I sorry to find that my companion was going the same road with myself as far as St. Hubert; but on mentioning that my destination was likewise a "pilgrimage" to that place, and proposing that we should perform the trip together, I observed a shade to pass over his countenance; he appeared to grow more reserved, and assumed a restraint of manner and demeanour which I attributed to my last proposal not being acceptable; and plainly naming my suspicions on the subject, begged that he would not stand on ceremony, but state it to me at once.

"No, no-believe me, my dear sir, you completely mistake my motives, if I appear to show any reluctance in acceding to your request; for nothing could possibly give me greater pleasure than your society, but" and here he hesitated; "you will, I hope, excuse what I am about to say?"

66

Certainly," replied I; "pray proceed!"

"Well, then, Monsieur will pardon me if I remark that I think you ought, since the pilgrimage is your object,-to reach St. Hubert as soon as possible; I would even recommend your returning to Huy, and hiring a 'charaban,' for every moment of time is precious, and may not be redeemed."

""Tis true," said I, " that I am anxious to visit the shrine of the saint; but I do not perceive in so doing that there exists any such pressing haste, as to put me under the necessity of depriving myself of your most agreeable company, or of hurrying through this interesting and romantic country, and the beautiful scenery with which we are at every step surrounded."

"Mais, mille pardons, mon cher Monsieur-are you aware of the fatal consequences which may result from the least delay on your part?—I even now tremble for your safety."

Perfectly at a loss to make out his meaning, I stood still for a moment, and looked him earnestly in the face, as if waiting for the explanation of his mysterious words,-when, with still greater embarrassment in his manner than he had hitherto evinced, he said-"Think it not impertinent curiosity on my part, if I ask how long it is since you met with the dreadful misfortune!"

A new light here burst on me. I now began, as I fancied, to see how matters stood;-the enthusiastic pursuit of one all-engrossing object had produced a not unusual effect on my poor acquaintance. Botany and the constant endeavours to dive into the secrets of nature had evidently turned his brain. Therefore, concluding him to be at the moment in one of the unfortunate moods peculiar to those in his unhappy position,-when their ideas, breaking through the intricate meshwork of the brain, wildly run riot for a time, and wander without control, plan, or object,-I endeavoured to divert

the channel of his thoughts, and wishing to give a new turn to the conversation, merely replied, that we were all subject in this world to misfortunes; but that the true sign of wisdom was to bear them philosophically, with Christian fortitude and endurance.

To this moralizing strain he replied not, but seemed lost in a profound reverie,-and imitating his silence whilst still following the course of the Houyeux, we proceeded to a point where it became necessary either to ford the stream, or make a considerable "detour" in order to reach the bridge;-not feeling inclined to get a wetting, I expressed some reluctance at the former plan, and proposed going round to the latter place.

On saying this I could not fail to observe the deep-felt concern expressed on my companion's countenance-and in the most earnest and energetic manner he immediately disclaimed every intention of either distressing me, or hurting my feelings, adding, that had he reflected for a minute, he ought to have known how repugnant it must be for me under present circumstances, to come in contact with the limpid element.

This and other similar speeches of the Botanist removed all doubts which I might hitherto have entertained as to the soundness of his intellects, and convinced me that he must have started on his present expedition after escaping from the restraint of a strait jacket, or at least, from the recesses of some lunatic asylum, however, as he appeared perfectly harmless and inoffensive, I did not trouble myself more on the subject; and forthwith, without further remarks, proceeded to the bridge, a rustic wooden structure, on the other side of which stood the humble "Cabaret," where we proposed taking up our quarters for the night; and on arriving there with appetites not a little sharpened by our long walk-immediately inquired of "mine Host" what we could have for supper?

"Pour cela," said he, we have "de quoi" for half-a-dozen people more hungry than "Messieurs," at the same time pointing to a heap of thrushes lying in a corner, from the legs of which a curlyheaded urchin, seated on a low stool, was busily engaged in taking off sundry nooses made of horsehair, which plainly spoke, as to the manner of their capture; though it puzzled me to think of how that had been effected in such numbers,-for there lay "floored" at least five or six dozen fine birds.

"Our Petit' has, as you see, had a fine haul at the 'Grivière,'* and he has besides brought in this bag of 'écrevisses,' of which you can likewise have à discretion.'"

Seeing the commissariat thus well supplied, removed all apprehensions of a famine; and telling mine host to cook the whole bag of lobsters and a couple of dozen birds;-whilst he was engaged in the mysteries of the "Cuisine" I approached my chair to the "Petit," to ascertain by what cunning device he had secured so

The Griviere is the place where the "grives" or thrushes are snared; these latter are in the Ardennes birds of passage, and cross over in great numbers during the spring and autumn. The "ecrevisse" is neither more nor less than the fresh-water lobster or prawn, a kind of craw-fish, smaller than the former, but considerably exceeding in size the latter.