JACK IN THE SADDLE. 
“ My Kingdom for a Hot or, Sir.” 
I 'M a sailor and I’ve pitched and tossed nponttie troubled ocean 
For several years and visited the shores of many a land, 
An d wind may blow, and storm may rage, I care not for the motion.^ 
Bat how to ride on pony-back I cannot understand. 
Not long ago I thought I’d try, and having found a stable, 
“ I want a horse,” said I, addressing one who chewed a straw, 
And why all hostler men do that, to And out I’m not able. 
“ Here's one,” says he, *• a pretty thing that hasn’t got a daw." 
How to get upon hla back at first I was quite puzzled, 
For he kept going round and round and throwing out his feet, 
But soon I seized the leather thong with which he had been muzzled 
An d sprang aloft and off he flew full gallop down the street. 
• <i Look out," cried all the people, “here’s a sailor oh a filly, ’’ 
“ Stop,” shouted out the hostler man, " your stirrups are too long ; " 
But I could neither stay nor speak, but went on wlUy nllly, 
Like some good ship without a helm when tide and wind are 
strong. 
I rushed Into the market and upset it woman’s stall there, 
Ani scattered all the butter, fowls and fruit about the place. 
I clung hard to the horse's mane or I’d have had a fall there, 
But as It was the noise did but Increase my charger’s pace. 
I next dashed through a herd of swine, young piglings and old grunt- 
ers, 
And drove into a crockery shop a pair of blundering sows ; 
Then having gained the country I beheld some hounds and hunters, 
And hoped that they would pass In time to clear my pony's bows. 
Alas 1 he heard the “ View hallo” and turned the chose to follow, 
Fast bolting on the starboard tack, and clearing hedge and ditch, 
As swift as wind through meadow, shady copse and ferny hollow, 
While every moment from his back I feared that I should pitch. 
My hat was flying far behind, my stirrups Idly swinging. 
Like drowning mau to floating wreck I held on by his mane, 
The hounds did merrily give mouth, the huntsman's horn was ring- 
ing, 
And every step my gallant steed upon the pack did gain. 
-« come back, you sailor chap, come back,” I heard a farmer calling, 
» Be's you a going to trample down the hounds beneath your feet ?” 
'Twaa all In vain, they might have spared their shouting and their 
bawling, 
I could not slay my fiery steed, I could not cheok hla heat. 
For all this time with all my might the bridle I’d been sawing, 
But 'twlxt his teeth he'd got the bit and didn't care a fig, 
I’d coax’d him and I’d yelled at him, he didn't mind my Jawing, 
But seemed to think It a great Joke to lead me such a J 'g. 
At last he tried a flying leap across a ditch, but stumbling, 
He reached land with his foremost feet, while 1 slid off his back, 
And wallowing In the nasty mire I had good cause for grumbling, 
And do declare I’d had enough to satisfy, yours 
— Bermuda Royal Gazette . JACK. 
Rentes from journal 
MY FIRST DEEB IN THE SNOW. 
I T was a score of years ago, in the northwestern part of 
the State of Maine. It had been a cold winter night in the 
month of Marc^ when the snow laid on the ground to the 
depth of four and a half feet in sheltered places, but less 
over tracts exposed to the wind, when Nay Bennett and I 
clambered out of our pit below the crust under the lee of 
Emery Mountain, where we had passed a very comfortable 
night, with our feet at a good log fire, and slipping on our 
snow shoes, commenced our journey toward Parmachene Lake, 
in search of moose. 
We had not proceeded more than a couple of miles over 
the crisp, sparkling crust, which was sufficiently firm to sus- 
tain us, and were about entering a tract of black-growth tim- 
ber, near the summit of a moderate hill, when we observed 
numerous deer tracks and fresh bitten shrubs, which indi- 
cated that we were in a deer yard. It is the babit of these 
animals, as well as of moose, in northern latitudes, when the 
snow is deep and crusty in the month of March, to stop and 
yard until the snow melts away, or becomes soft enough for 
them to travel about without cutting their legs. This is 
done by selecting a spot where there is an abundance of un- 
dergrowth and shrubbery, which, in the warm days of that 
month, throw out their swelling buds in anticipation of more 
favorable weather. Upon these sweet and tender buds the 
deer will browse contentedly until the snow is nearly gone. 
By running over the snow as the crust begins to form in the 
spring, and by depressing it, a firmer crust is formed than in 
the surrounding forest, which enables them to run about 
more readily in quest of food. Sometimes the area of a yard 
is more than two or three hundred acres, but generally less, 
depending upon the number of deer yarding together. In 
this instance we found the yard to be a large one, and although 
we were in search of moose, we concluded, in the absence of 
venison or other fresh meat from our larder, to take in some, 
if possible. We therefore prosecuted our search up and 
down end across the yard until nearly two hours had passed, 
and we were seemingly no nearer our game than at the com- 
mencement of our search, although the signs were most en- 
couraging. 
As we had been traveling briskly, we concluded to take a 
short halt, and let our dog Zip make the search alone for a 
while. Zip was a veteran in this line of exertion, and imme- 
diately put himself out vigorously at the order from Nay. 
Hardly had he disappeared in advance before his quick run- 
ning yelp announced the finding of our game. We speedily 
followed, and found that we had halted in close proximity to 
a number of deer, which Zip had started from their beds in 
the snow. We saw plainly the hollows or resting places from 
which they had boen so suddenly startled, and down the hill- 
side we saw the road or plowed furrow by which they had 
escaped. It was wide and deep, and indicated the hurried 
passage of a dozen or more. We could plainly hear the 
yelping of Zip not far ahead, who apparently was not mak- 
ing very rapid progress. 
I hastily gave Nay my pack and gun, and rushed down the 
hill in pursuit as rapidly as my snow shoes would allow me, 
leaving Nay to follow as soon as he could with his increased 
burden. 
An important object after starling deer in this manner is to 
hurry them up as much as possible at first, which increases 
their alarm and occasions more floundering and fatigue than 
would result from a slow following. Deer, when closely 
pursued at first, will soon lose courage and strength if the 
traveling is difficult ; but if allowed to get over the first 
flurry, will settle down into a more coo! and steady exertion. 
I soon came up with Zip, who was doing all he could with 
his short legs, but who found the crust too soft to fully sus- 
tain him. 1 left him behind, which annoyed him very much, 
as evinced by his redoubled exertions and yelpiDg. A mile 
more of rapid traveling brought me in sight of the deer— a 
splendid drove of thirteen — led by a large buck, which 1 
mentally resolved should be mine. 
At my near approach their exertions were increased, but 
only to still more hopelessly flounder in the snow; and upon 
my reaching them they separated from each other, as usual in 
such cases, each taking care of himself. Singling out the big 
buck, I brought him to bay, the others soon being lost to my 
sight. The old fellow would turn and face me upon my near 
approach ; but, finding himself let alone, would exert himself 
to escape until again crowded. My object was to, detain him un- 
til Nay or Zip should come up. Finally Zip arrived and immedi- 
ately commenced a furious onslaught, after the manner of dogs 
of his class, which, beiug trained to hunt moose, do not close 
in but keep up a perpetual springing and barking which serves 
to annoy and hold the game at bay until the hunter arrives 
with his gun. A dog of good metal and hold-fast qualities 
would most likely lose his life in endeavoring to seize and hold 
a full grown moose, owing to the effective manner this ani- 
mal has of striking out with his fore-feet; and the dogs em- 
ployed by moose hunters in these latitudes are of an ordinary 
character, and are effective in their way. Zip was one of this 
sort, and, although the animal we had at bay was much in- 
ferior to a bull moose, I could not get him to lay hold, while 
the buck was gradually working his way to a hill side not fur 
distant, where the snow was partially blown away, which I 
feared he might reach and perhaps escape before Nay came 
up w ith the gun. 
I therefore kept very close and urged "Zip on continually. 
The buck would start on as speedily as possible until Zip’s 
running nips would bring him around, when he would charge 
in a gallant manner, but Zip's ability to keep qpt of harm's 
way was only too evident. In vain I urged him to hold, but 
hold he would not, though most noisy and persistent in his 
peculiar warfare. The buck finally became very furious at 
this continual goading, and employed nearly all his time in 
charging and striking at Zip, giving out in his fear and rage 
an angry, hissing sound. In the excitement I had approached 
within ten or twelve feet of him, when suddenly, disregarding 
Zip, who as usual made good his escape, came upon me so 
quickly that in my efforts to retreat I locked my snow-sh«ee 
and came down upon my back. 
I saw his leap, and his body coming down upon me with 
his fore feet close together in striking condition. I had barely 
time to twist my body a little on one side, when down in the 
snow close beside my waist, came his cleaving feet. I had in 
my right hand a buck-horn-handle knife with a thirteen-inch 
double-edged blade running to a point. I had drawn this out 
on my near approach to the buck, and as I felt his breath on 
my face, I suddenly threw both arms around his neck to de- 
tain him from coming down upon me again with his sharp 
feet ; but his strength was so great that he instantly rose in 
the air with myself hanging to his neck, while Zip, now more 
courageous grown, seized him firmly by the rear. The buck 
was now in a decidedly bad fix, which fact he seemed 
well aware of, and I was very much astonished at the rapidity 
with which he leaped up and down, despite the heavy burdens 
he carried in the front and rear. I came to the immediate 
conclusion that his strength would outlast mine, unless abated 
by some extreme action. So finally compressing my left arm, 
which was hooked over his neck, and rapidly seizing his 
throat with my left hand, I liberated my right arm and brought 
my knife blade down to the hilt in his neck ; it seemed like 
butter, it slipped so readily. Down came buck, dog and my- 
self in a confused sort of way, myself undernoath ; but the 
buck had ceased to struggle, and I pushed aaido his head to 
keep off the hot red blood which spurted from his wound and 
nostrils and rose to my feet. The buck was dead and 1 had 
not received a scratch. Nay soon orrived, and we dressed 
and hung up the buck in a tree above the reach of animals. 
Cutting from him enough meat to supply our immediate 
wants, wo pursued our way toward Parmacheue lake. When 
we returned, two weeks later, we found his frozen carcass 
banging os we left him. Nay rigged up a rough sled and 
hauled him out to the settlement, where wo found his weight 
to bo one hundred and eighty-nine pounds. W hitnkv. 
For Forest and Stream and Ilod and Qun. 
NICARAGUA. 
ROM several long interviews with an acquaintance Just 
-T 1 returned from Nicaragua, whoso experience and travels 
jxtend over a period of nearly three years there, wo have 
gathered the following facts: 
It lies between Honduras on the north and Costa Rica on 
the south, extending from latitude 10 dug. 45 min. to 15 deg 
north, and from Caribbean Sea on the east to the Pacific Ocean 
nn the west, with an area of 50,000 square miles. The country 
is traversed by two nearly parallel ranges of mountains, run- 
ning almost duo northwest and southeast. Three are the cor- 
dilleras or main backbone of the isthmus, and the const ranguor 
volcanic mountains of the Pacific. The latter range extends 
from Guatemala through San Salvador and Nicaragua, termi- 
aating in the great mountain group or nucleus of Costa Rica, 
rhis range does notvary from more than ten to twenty miles 
from the Pacific const. Between the two ranges of high mouu- 
nins is formed a great interior basin of nearly 300 miles in 
ength by 100 in breadth, in the centre of which is situated 
;he broad and beautiful lakes of Nicaragua and Managua. The 
Brat named is ubout 130 miles loug, and from 20 to 30 miles 
wide, interspersed with a number of largo islands, many of 
them rising several hundred feet above the water, aud perpe- 
tually clothed in tropical verdure and affording range for large 
herds of cattle. The whole country is considerably elevated 
above sea level, if we except a small strip lying along the 
Pacific, nud about 20 miles inland from the Caribbean Sea, 
which has a rather humid and unhealthy climate, but the re- 
mainder of the Republic is entirely healthy. The Segovia 
country, lying north of Lake Nicaragua, is elevated and moun- 
tainous, aud enjoys a delightful climate throughout the year. 
Wheat has beeu successfully raised here, and corn grows 
throughout the country. Bordering on the shores of the lakes 
and Pacific, are to be found plantations of coffee, cocoa, 
sugar, indigo and vanilla. Many residences are embowered 
with a rich profusion of flowers, vines, shrubs uud tropical 
trees, and near by are to be found growing pineapples, orongre, 
bananas, cocoanuts, limes, plantains, guava and other fruits 
unknown to the more temperate climate of tho United States. 
There are two seasons— the rainy and dry. The rainy season 
lasts from May to October; yet, during the whole of this sea- 
son, rain rarely falls until late in the afternoon, continuing 
through most of the night. During the dry season but little 
rain falls. The thermometer throughout the year vanes only 
from about 08 deg. to 80 deg. Fall., hut seldom reaching 00 
deg. in the shade. A greater portion of Nicaragua is covered 
by dense growth of forest, including mahogany, logwood, 
lignum vitae, gutta pereba, Peruvian balBom and numerous 
dry woods, gums and drugs. All kinds of wild animals are to 
be found, and birds and reptiles in profusion. Deer are plenty, 
and arc only killed for their bides. . 
The population of the Republic is chiefly confined to the 
towns and villages, with the exception of the different Indian 
tribes living in the remote districts bordering on Honduras and 
the eastern shore. The smallest and better class are made up 
sf Dative 8panish and their descendants ; tho balance are 
largely composed of Indians and mixed races. All good CIH- 
sens from the United States are gladly welcomed in Nicaragua, 
rnd but little trouble is experienced in acquiring sufficient or 
he Spanish language to be understood. Tho inhabitants are 
no8tly indolent, os is common with all tropical countries, 
rhey dress in linen or other cool material, and are Iona or 
ipend'rag the beat of the day swinging in their hummock in 
;ome c<x>l shaded spot. The Indian and other laborers > em- 
ployed on coffoe, eugar and other plantations, go naked from 
he waist up, and wear broad Panama bats. The w tr y “ 
>een that of a cattle raising one for upwards of two hundred 
rears, aod fine httii of stock Unit would do credit to nmnyo 
»ur Western prairies are to be seen grazing along the luke 
bores and throughout all Segovia, jlany thou^nd hides are 
innually exported, while the meat is cut in shore, j 
Iryed, ind Mid at a good price far down the coast to South 
^Ttooutlet of Lakes Managua and Nireraraa are though 
ine river— the San Juan -whose length from the lake at tort 
ian Carlos to the Caribbean Sea at Greytown, in its wondrags, 
s one hundred and fifteen miles It is a beautiful river, but 
s obstructed by the rapids del Castillo, de los Valo* Ma- 
huca and others of less note that are a serious impediment lo 
lavigation except with canoes, which the Indians polo around 
» kSplog dose to the north shore. There are two small 
tcamers that ply above and below the rapids, which are con- 
lucted asa monopoly from the government by a rather pompous 
I’renchman residing at Greytown, who, from the privilege of 
