140 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
The sun had gone down, and the earth was still. 
And the lake was as clear as the sky, 
And a single star above the hill, 
Looked down with its beaming eye ; 
And no sound was heard but the voice of the rill 
That went in laughter by. 
The hunter blessed his humble lot, 
As he stood by his cottage-door, 
And glad was he to reach the spot, 
And rest in his home once more ; 
For his cares and his toils were all forgot 
’Mid the mirth of his children’s roar. 
He entered his hut; but each mouth was shut, 
Whence mirth was wont to flow ; 
For a sight was there that made him stare 
With a terror that few can know ; 
A lion of India’s fiercest breed 
On his threshold was crouching low ! 
His wife was sitting in silent dread, 
With a sad, desponding air ; 
While hid in her lap, each little head 
Sought hope and safety there — 
The eldest boy, with fear half dead 
Stood close by his mother’s chair. 
’Twas not a time for long delay ; 
The hunter stole aside 
To the back of his hut, where the lingering day 
Crept in thro’ a casement wide — 
And he charged his gun for a deadly play, 
And asked heaven his aim to guide. 
The beast arose ! — his heart’s blood froze, 
But despair did his purpose meet ; 
He sent the ball thro’ his cottage hall, 
On its errand stern and fleet — 
It grazed the hair of his youthful heir, 
As he stood by his mother’s seat — 
Then came a moan ’twist a howl and a groan, 
And the lion lay dead at her feet. 
INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 
No. IV. 
The most interesting and important part of your ex- 
cursion is now open to you. Having sprung the first 
covey of Partridges, and perhaps marked them to a favour- 
able cover, and well scattered, — now is the time for you 
to deliberate, — and if ever you are to receive benefit by a 
favourable opportunity, this is the time also to embrace it. 
There is nothing to hurry you, — and you may exercise as 
much coolness as you choose, and suppress every rising 
emotion which tends to disconcert the mind. At this pe- 
riod, to most learners, the nerves are much affected, and 
the agitation, at the sudden flight and whirring sound of 
the flying game, is considerable, — eagerness, anxiety, and 
timidity, all take their part; and between these, and the 
judgment and philosophy of the young Sportsman, a con- 
flict rages, which can only be favourably terminated by 
proper deliberation. Now, should this be your experience, 
permit me to say, that you are unprepared to encounter 
the game with any degree of success; and you had better 
take the accoutrements from your shoulders, and sit in the 
shade, and calm your feelings for half an hour at least; and 
if within your reach, take a draught of cold water. Do 
not fear the game will escape, — it will assuredly do so if. 
you attempt to spring it, — but if it is in good cover, it will 
await your approach more than double the time sufficient 
to calm yourself. When, therefore, prepared to pursue 
your way, and your dogs come on the scattered birds, — 
act towards them as on previous cases, and walk direct to 
the game and flush it> — and so soon as you have fired, 
bring your dogs in to you as usual, and without removing 
from the spot, reload your gun. Whether you have killed, 
wounded, or missed the bird, — still do not leave the spot, 
as but a few steps more may alarm another bird, and this 
a third, and so on until, one by one, the remainder may 
rise, as is frequently the case, especially if better cover 
for them be near, until every bird escapes you. 
This more particularly occurs, if on winging a bird 
you attempt to recover it. A wounded bird will always 
seek the company of its fellows, and if you or your dog 
chases it, there are nine chances out of ten that you will 
encounter the remnant of the flock, and thus for the sake 
of securing one bird, you will lose perhaps six or eight fine 
shots; — besides, I have seen persons so excited by shooting 
down and only winging a Partridge, as to drop their guns 
and give chase, and several minutes have elapsed before 
recovering it, after the most violent exertion, through 
bushes, thickets, and over fences, and many times all this 
labour has been fruitless, thus losing the bird, alarming 
the others, and rendering themselves unfit to pursue 
their excursion successfully for some time. A person 
thus situated is not fit to hunt for at least one hour. 
He has unnerved and heated himself, and done more in- 
jury to his dog, than a whole week of cautious hunting 
will repair. Should you wing your bird, you have a bet- 
ter chance of finding it, by letting your dog hunt it lei- 
surely after you are ready again, as the bird will run its 
course, and leave a strong scent in the grass, and should 
you be training a young dog, this will be the most desira- 
