were killed, but, alas! by my comrades. During the second battue, an enormous bear was enclosed by the beaters; I had the best place allotted to me, in the very centre of the line of fire. What then?the animal wounded on my right was killed on my left, after having made a half-circle sufficiently near to be heard, but not seen.

Previous to returning to St. Petersburg, we again visited the village of Lipowski, where Dmitri, our old friend, had prepared for us another chasse of elks. I killed one, which prevented my going homewards with an empty game-bag; I considered it a most honourable consolation. Nevertheless, bear-shooting has great charms; it offers pleasure and excitement to all engaged, inasmuch as, without seeing or killing any, all take an active part in the chance of good fortune.

On arriving at a selected spot, after a long and fatiguing journey over frozen roads or through vast forests, amid the profound solitudes to which the bears retreat-when the immense cord of beaters place themselves silently around the covert, leaving one at each twenty paceswhen the place in the battle-field is allotted to you-when the signalshot is fired-when a thousand assembled voices utter almost deafening sounds, and hatchets innumerable strike the forest trunks--when, in the midst of this hideous uproar, the ear seeks to distinguish the faint sounds of a bear's paw on the frozen snow-when the eager eye pierces here and there the dense forest-when the mind is alive to hope and excitement, and the finger on the trigger, and you await the attack of a fierce and enormous animal ready to sell his life dearly-when the emotion and nervousness, aroused by long waiting, is joined to that of expected battle, and that danger seasons the awaited pleasure-it is then the heart beats, and strange, over-powering, maddening sensations take possession of you, which few other sports or events in life can offer. It is for such that a sportsman readily faces distance, dangers, and expense; and makes such long, fatiguing, and harassing expeditions.

On returning, each gives his personal history of events passed, to while away the time and road; and the general expenses are divided. On this occasion, on one side of the account appeared six hundred versts travelled over; and on the other, two thousand roubles expended, two bears killed.

These trifling sporting details of manhood (added my friend De Marsan) recall forcibly to my recollection those still more simple which occurred during my boyhood, one of which I must give here. It was the first occasion which enabled me triumphantly to declare I had killed a" roe-deer." Those happy days, alas! have long since passed. I was then a scholar at Dijon; when, with a young friend, I went forth one fine morning for a day's shooting, in order to try the merits of our spaniels in the coverts which cover the hill-sides of our precious Côte d'Or. We hired a species of light carriage at a joint expense, ate an omelet at the forester's cottage, and gave him wherewith to drink our health after the day's success. In the evening, as we played at écarté at a penny a game, our good mothers exclaimed to their friends, "Only think of the folly of these boys: they have been three leagues to shoot a roe-deer, and expended half-a-guinea!"

Notwitstanding this, in after-days I have returned from twenty sporting expeditions without killing a bear, and expended hundreds. It was unfortunate-humiliating. Moreover, the First of March was at hand,

when sport, as amusement, is generally at an end in Russia. The approach of Easter closed all the theatres, as the Russians with surprising bigotry conform to church rules with a rigour equal to that of the Turks during the Ramadan. Moreover the period had arrived on which I had fixed for a voyage to Moscow. My carriage was ready, and packed; I was on the point of starting- no more bears; no more battues; no more excitement; no more pleasure or hope: in fact, no more sportwhen a royal chase was announced, which at once determined me to remain a few days longer at St. Petersburgh. My star of sporting hope once more rose. The next morning, at eleven o'clock, I received the following note from my friend R. W.:

"Prepare yourself; a bear has been announced at sixty versts from the city, by a Finland peasant. We must start at once."

"A bear within sixty versts!" I exclaimed; "what good fortune!" It appeared as if it had come half-way to meet us. Forthwith I donned again my sporting costume, fur boots and seal-skin cap, pistols and poignard; and, taking my double-barrelled rifle under my arm, I ran to the house of my friend. Two other ardent sportsmen soon joined us. It was necessary, however, to make some preparations, moreover to fortify our inward man with a good breakfast; consequently it was one o'clock ere we started. This was somewhat late for a day's sport at fifteen leagues distant during the still short days of the year. But we made the best of our way, notwithstanding bad roads, formidable ruts, ditches, and ravines, in the spring, deep enough to engulph a sledge altogether. Nevertheless, we overcame all obstacles, and in four hours reached the village of Nenemaki, the home of the Finlander and the bear.

Travelling always towards north, we had made, during the finest season of frost, under a radiant and glorious sun, which coloured the waste of snow with a rose-tint, an interesting and picturesque journey. Far more varied than the central provinces of the Russian empire, and almost mountainous after its interminable plains, Finland offers most pleasing winter landscapes. It presents northern nature in all its most savage yet wild and attractive beauty. I must not forget to mention a small lake, over the frozen surface of which we passed from one end to the other to shorten the distance, between two lines of young fir plantations, so planted as to mark the road during the night as during the snow storms. This lake, at least six miles long, had the appearance of a small sea; but, in comparison with the lake Lagoda, and other lakes in the north of Russia, it is a mere pond. It is charming to look on, and still more charming to glide over when comfortably seated in a sledge, enclosed by surrounding rocky and wood-clad heights; indeed, it resembles a large white table-cloth spread over, the earth. And as you slide rapidly over its frozen surface, innumerable are the varied features it presents of dense forests and rocky inlets which line its interesting banks. Now a little bay is seen sleeping, as it were, in the midst of dense pine woods, the large dark branches of whose trees, sugared with frozen snow, stretch their arms as if in protection; while here and there a promontory extends itself, on whose granite headland a village church, with a pale-green cupola, or some country house of strange form, and still stranger architecture-half Eastern, half European-stands, regardless of place or weather.

At five o'clock we halted at the village of Nenemaki. The bear's retreat was not far distant-at least, such was the information of our guide, who the previous evening had declared he actually beheld him in his den, as one sees a hare on her form, and who, quietly retreating, had marked the line.

One hour of daylight, however, only remained to us. It appeared impossible in so short a time to assemble the usual army of beaters, and to arrange the order of battle in due form; and we, therefore, decided on attacking him in his fortress.

Light village-sledges soon conveyed us to its immediate neighbourhood. Having arrived at this point, we drew lots as to who should have the good luck of advancing with the guide first to the onslaught: such is the usual custom in Russia. And this done, the sporting companions of the fortunate chase spread out and follow him into the forest at a hundred paces, ready for any chance-luck which might offer, which may be, at least, that of killing a wounded bear-at times, that of killing or wounding one which has been missed; inasmuch as the animal bear, notwithstanding its great weight and apparent sloth and inactivity, when once roused, throws itself through all obstacles, and rushes away like a rabbit pursued by a terrier: thus the rifle aim is not easy or sure. And if, in order to fly, the beast is obliged to make direct for the shooter, the heart may perchance to beat, as the nerves to render the hands and eye unsteady. If he can judge then, the reserve may be called on to gain the victory.

My friends R. and A. had kindly and mutually agreed to give me the command of the advanced guard should they win the toss; consequently I had three chances to one. Nevertheless, luck again jilted me, and the choice fell to the lot of our forest comrade, with whom I was little acquainted. He marched, therefore, forthwith chosen head to do battle with the beast, his only companion our guide; armed only with a double-barrelled French gun, loaded of course with ball.

With feelings of disgrace R., A., and I followed into the wood, to the right, left, and centre; forming a half-circle behind our own more fortunate comrade.

I had scarcely gained my place in the centre than I heard a shot, followed in a few minutes by another; then, after a short but agonizing silence, I fancied that cries for help echoed through the woodland. Ought I to rush to the aid of G., knowing that two balls not seldom fail to stop a bear's career?-ought I not to aid him against an animal rendered furious by wounds? Such were the thoughts which rushed rapidly through my brain. Without further reflection-while my two friends, fearing all was over, had regained the sledges-I forced myself through the thick wood in the direction of the cries; now tumbling over the frozen snow; now bruising myself against a branch, in order to keep my rifle free towards the spot from whence the cries appeared to come. At last I discovered Mr. G., who received me smiling, with his finger on his lips, to demand silence; whilst leaning towards me, he whispered in my ears. It was not a male bear which our guide fancied he had seen, but a female, with three cubs of last year's growth. "I could distinguish the mother readily," he added, "and sent a ball through her head. The cubs bolted in a fright; but, finding themselves unpursued, they re

turned forthwith to their maternal home. I killed one with my second barrel, the others await you."

I approached their den at once; it was simply a large cave formed in the snow at the bottom of a ravine, but well sheltered by a cover of large firs. In this cave the whole family had ensconced themselves. Looking from the highest side of the ravine, at first I only beheld what appeared a dark mass, without form or life. But I very soon dis covered the large mother bear, who lay bleeding from both ears, and next her a dead cub; on their right, on their hind legs, sat, like statues, the two remaining cubs:

For which read-cubs of fifteen months old, who very shortly would have quitted the maternal protection.

"Wait a moment," said Mr. G., " till I endeavour to rouse them." Scarcely had he struck the nearest trunk with the but of his gun, than one of the cubs, the blackest of the lot, rose on all-fours, and steadily regarded me. I took a steady aim between his eyes, and sent my first ball straight through the brain. After this shot the third cub bounded from the cave, and fled as before towards the forest. I had time, however, to take a steady aim, and my second ball brought him also to the earth, where he remained for some moments as if dead; then rose to life again, and endeavoured to fly. What were we to do? Our guns were uncharged? and to load them with rifle balls was not an instantaneous undertaking. I came at once to a decision. Handing my rifle to the guide, I drew my hunting knife, and followed in the chase. As he could scarcely drag himself through the snow, I soon overtook him. When he observed my approach, making use of his claws, he rose up and placed his back against a tree, and awaited me with open arms and wideextended jaws, showing all his teeth, and growling furiously. To have thus attacked a full-grown bear, however badly wounded, would have been madness. One stroke of his paws, in rage, agony, and fury, would have sufficed to put an end to all my hopes of future sport. But the cub was not much bigger than a large Newfoundland dog, and therefore the danger of taking the offensive was not great. Consequently, approaching him sideways, with a rapid movement I thrust my hunting knife up to the hilt in his breast, and he fell on his back; but in the hurry and excitement I lost my breath; and, notwithstanding the trifling resistance I encountered, it was enough to cause me to fall on the top of him with my face in the snow, where I lay drowned in his gore as though I had jumped into a river of blood, while the tortured and enraged animal-notwithstanding his terrible wounds-notwithstanding he lay half-buried in snow beneath me-still growled loudly; and it required another thrust of the hunting knife ere he ceased to live.

The sport was over: brilliant and satisfactory. There remained only to carry away the dead-not an easy matter through a thick forest, with the ground covered with deep snow, ice, and fallen trees. Happily some wood-cutters came to our assistance, attracted by the firing. Three strong and lusty peasants forthwith shouldered the cubs, heads

downwards, legs tied together; and thus returned to the sledges, which were driven as far as possible to meet us, when we were necessitated to bandage the horses' eyes, which, attracted by the smell of the bears, became terrified and restive. Having looked to the safety of the cubs, the whole party returned to carry away the mother-an immense animal, which weighed three or four hundred pounds. Having attached her fore-legs, as her hind-legs, together with a strong cord, the trunk of a small fir-tree was passed between fore and aft, and four men were told off for the duty: thus the whole convoy commenced their march, preceded by an advanced guard composed of Mr. G. and myself, who with hatchets cut away the thick underwood which opposed their line of march; arriving at length to our sledges, overcome with the labour, and half-drowned in perspiration, notwithstanding the cold.

At this moment the sun went down, like a vast conflagration, illuminating the heavens with every imaginable hue, which tinged the vast extent of snow on the green church cupolas, as on the snow-clad trees, with a gold and rich amethystine mantle, which, in the northern regions, is the ordinary contour of a fine sunset, instead of the purple of the south.

Having enjoyed this last spectacle, we once more embarked on the frozen lake, and at ten o'clock at night reached the château of Mr. Lwhere a wolf hunt was prepared for us on the following morning. After a gay and substantial supper, I slept soundly, with the pleasure and satisfaction of having at last realized my dream, which left me the power of saying I have killed a bear-at least, according to mathematical experience, two halves have always been allowed to make a whole.

(To be continued.)

CHARLEY SCUPPER'S RACING YACHT.

CHAPTER IV.

Charley accompanied his guests to the hotel, where they received every possible attention. A dinner was immediately provided, which, although served in homely style compared with that to which Clara was accustomed at Littleborough Hall, gave entire satisfaction; and the hearty yachtsman did it ample justice, but the others appeared to have lost their appetite at sea. The three adventurers talked over the misfortunes of the day, laughed at the bruises and tumbles they had received in the cabin-Clara especially at her peculiar but unavoidable position. She was not a girl to murmur at such events, but submitted with playful and becoming grace to the inconvenience she felt on being unprovided with any toilet requisites or change of attire. Tea and coffee succeeded the wine; and the merry