maternal love. I always carried such an instrument about me, as all the larger beasts of prey can be easily attracted by it, such as bears, tigers, panthers, wolves, lynxes, &c., and the beautifully striped leopard cats, which are very numerous about us, and are easily deceived by it. grey mist lay over the bushes, the grass | after being missed two, three, or four times, around me was very damp, and the bear's till they lamentably fall victims to their black hide was silvered over with dew. From all sides the loud chuckling of the turkeys reached me, and I felt a tickling in my forefinger to bend it upon one of these birds; but then I looked at the mountain of flesh which lay before me, and rested my rifle again against the tree, and went to the fire to pull the paw out of the ashes. The fire soon burnt brightly, and dispersed the cold damp air around me. I put coffee on and a bear's rib before the fire, led Czar to the stream, and refreshed myself and him. Then I returned to the fire, led my horse into the oats, and paid my respects to the bear's paw and rib. The sun was also darting his rays through the trees, when I was ready to start, and rode through the stream towards the dense forest. From this point my journey was for several days a most fatiguing and far from pleasant one. I constantly went up and down barren, stony hills, and found scarce grass enough to feed my horse; we also both suffered from the want of water, which was the more perceptible on the bare, heated rocks. I could only proceed short distances, as through the constant marching on very hard stones Czar's feet were beginning to swell, and though he was not lame, he put them down very gingerly. There was certainly no lack of game, as I always met turkeys and deer in the neighbourhood of water, and on such uneven ground it is very easy to stalk the game. Although it may offend the feelings of the true sportsman, I will confess that on this ride I shot several fawns for the sake of their tender flesh: I also killed a very large jaguar, which I attracted by imitating the cry of a complaining fawn. It leaped within twenty yards of me ere it noticed me, but then stopped and looked round for its victim, swinging its long tail high up in the air. The bullet went through its head and laid it dead. The Indians make a sort of wooden pipe, which so admirably imitates the moan of a fawn, that every old animal within the distance of a mile round comes dashing up, and is startled neither by a horse nor its rider. I have seen instances where old animals continued to advance I at length again reached the limestone region; but I must have been a great deal too far east; for the mountain chain was much lower than at the spot where I had crossed it. This view was soon confirmed when I went down into the valley and found all the streams I crossed small and insignificant. The country continually became more pleasant and rich, the valleys grew broader, and the vegetation was more luxuriant than in the desolate, melancholy ravines I had been lately riding along. I daily expected to see well-known mountains, and looked about more especially for a very high point on a mountain chain which runs southward from Turkey Creek to the Rio Grande, on which the Indians have built a pyramid of large stones, either put up as a finger-post for the wandering tribes, or as a border mark between the different hunting-grounds. One morning I had just left camp, and was riding through an extensive prairie, when I fancied I could recognize this landmark, and convinced myself by the aid of my glass that I was not mistaken. I felt myself at home again, although this point was a good day's journey from my house: still I knew in which direction my road lay, and eagerly went along it. About noon I reached one of those most troublesome cactus-woods, which frequently run across the prairies. The present one ran like a wall for miles across my path. There is no chance of riding through these thickets, as the prickly plants grow closely together. Though they are most disagreeable to the hunter, their appearance is most attractive to the naturalist, through the brilliant colour of the cactus flowers and the peculiar shape of the plants. This obstacle led me a long way from my route, as I was obliged to ride round it for several miles. While I was riding close along this wall, still hoping to find a free passage, I suddenly the grass is high also, and it is easy for the noticed a deer, about twenty yards off, poking hunter to creep unseen within shot, and its head out of the prickles, and staring at shoot the fattest deer through the head. me in surprise. I raised my rifle Czar Even at the time of our visit, when the stopped instantly-and fired at the head, as leaves had fallen, these animals frequently I could not see any more of the deer. I reposed under the scattered trees, and rose could distinctly see through the smoke that as we passed, forty or fifty in number, the bullet smashed the right side of the gazing anxiously at us. The buffalo, on deer's head, and heard it dash away a few the other hand, always remains in the sunyards, and then fall; but it was impossible shine, and seems able to endure the greatest to penetrate the prickly wall for this short heat, but also the greatest cold, before all distance, and reach the deer. The cactuses other quadrupeds. It marks its endless were here from sixteen to seventeen feet marches from north to south and from high, and so close together that I could not south to north by its skeletons, which bleach go a foot into them. Hence I was obliged for many a year in the sun. Now, when the to give up the deer, and was very glad on at grass was short, the whole surface in the length reaching a narrow glade which ran distance had a whitish tinge, which is prothrough the wood. duced by these bones, out of which the skulls rise like shining dots. For about a week we rode through such land, only here and there interrupted by small elevations, and frequently suffered with our animals from drought. Late at night I rode along the bank of a river, which I took for one of the western arms of Turkey Creek, and was forced to halt and pass the night here by the numerous rocks that rose from the tall grass and ferns. The next morning I passed the spot where I crossed the river with the unfortunate Kreger by means of the trunk of the tree, and at noon reached the camp where the storm had treated us so ill. I now came again into my own hunting-grounds, where nearly every tree and shrub reminded me of a fine chase, and my desire for home and my faithful Trusty urged me on. I rode late into the night, till I reached at ten o'clock a camping-place, where I and Czar had often stopped before. For about a week we marched through a very pleasant country, and arrived at a rather large river, which Tiger, one of our company (for in this new adventure I was no longer alone), stated to be the Brazos, and which falls into the gulf to the eastward of the Colorado. I had seen it before at San Felipe, and would not have recognized it, for there it moves sluggishly through a thickwooded bed of heavy clay, and has a dirty red colour, while here it rolls merrily over rocks, and its crystal surface is covered with a snow-white foam. From this point we proceeded to the north-west, as Tiger noticed that we had gone a little too far east, and would have much greater difficulty in crossing the rivers than farther west, where, though the country is mountainous, the streams nearer their sources are smaller and more frequent. The mountains were composed of limestone, and contained exquisite little valleys, where the vegetation was already bursting into new life. All the softer-wooded trees were budding, and the flowers were springing up all over the prairies. We seemed to keep equal pace with the reawakening of the vegetable world northwards, and even to go faster than it. On a warm day we had been riding with. out a halt over desolate, stony hills, and were quite exhausted. When our tired and thirsty horses clambered up a barren height, we suddenly looked down into a lovely valley covered with fresh verdure, through which a broad stream wound. The view soon enlivened horse and rider, and we merrily hurried down to the bank of the stream. We had hardly reached it and ridden our horses in to let them quench their thirst, when a long train of Indians appeared on the opposite height bordering the valley, and came straight towards us. Tiger looked at them for a moment, and told us to wait here while he rode across to see who they were. We dismounted, led our horses together, and got our weapons in readiness. Tiger galloped through the valley to the hill-side, down which the Indians were coming, and checked his piebald at its foot. We saw him making signs from a distance to the approaching horsemen, which were answered in the same way, and ere long the whole party pulled up around him. They held a long consultation, and then rode towards us, with Tiger at their head. They were Kickapoos out on a hunting expedition, and had recently left their villages on the Platte, where they have settlements like the Delawares, and their squaws and old men grow crops and breed cattle. I had a long conversation with the chief, in which Tiger played the interpreter, told him the purpose of our journey, invited him to visit me on the Leone next winter, and asked him how far it was to the next water. He assured me that we should come to good water and grass before the sun sank behind the mountains, and so we parted, very glad to get away from the fellows, whose appearance was anything but satisfactory. The party consisted of about eighty men, twenty squaws, and a number of small children. They had already unpacked their horses and prepared their camp to halt here, as we rode away from them over the hills, and Tiger came up to me, saying, "Kickapoo no good-two tongues." I had heard before that these Indians were false, spiteful, and hostile to white men, and only the advantage they derive from being on friendly terms with the United States induces them not to appear publicly as their enemies. We quickly advanced, and reached at a rather early hour a valley, in which we found grass and water, and chose our camp at a spot where the stream ran close under a precipice; while on this side was a small copse, in which we could fasten our cattle at night. It was an almost circular kettle, enclosed by steep limestone walls, which had an opening only on one side, through which the bright stream flowed. The sun was sinking behind the lofty gray rocks and dyeing the dark-blue sky with a glowing tint which no artist would venture to reproduce on his canvas. About midnight Trusty aroused us by his loud savage bark: he was at the opening of the valley, and would not lie down again, but we could not discover his motive, as it was quite dark. Tiger fancied, however, that the Kickapoos were trying to steal some of our horses. When day broke and cast its first faint light over the gray walls of the valley, I awoke and saw at the entrance a herd of deer apparently browsing down the stream. As it was still rather dark, I hoped to be able to approach them behind the few leafless bushes that grew on the bank, as crawling through the dewy grass was too fatiguing a job to be rewarded by a deer, especially as we still had a supply of game. I crept down the stream, and had got within shot, when I made a forward leap in order to reach a rather thick bush, from which I could fire more conveniently. At the same instant the deer started apart in terror, and I saw that an ocelot had leaped on the back of one of them, which laid back its broad antlers and galloped down the stream, while a second cat followed it with long, high bounds. Two of the terrified deer darted past me, but I did not fire, as I felt an interest in watching the hunt of the two beasts of prey, which I followed as quickly as I could out of the valley. The deer ran about a mile down the stream, then reared and fell over backwards, when the second cat also sprang on it, and hung on its neck. The deer collected its last strength and tried to rise on its hind legs, but sank ex hausted, and sent its plaintive cries echoing | dead deer. All were up in our camp, as through the mountains. I crept, unseen by they had heard my shots, and John and the beasts of prey, within thirty yards of the scene of battle, and shot the first, while I missed the second, as it bolted, but sent Trusty after it, and soon heard him at bay lower down the stream. I soon reloaded and hurried after Trusty, who was barking round a small oak in which the ocelot had sought shelter. I shot it down and dragged it up to the other, which was lying by the Königstein hurried towards me to see what I had killed. My clothes were as wet as if I had been in the river, and I turned myself before our fire, while the others went out with Jack to bring in the game. Higher north I did not come across these small leopards, while farther south they are very frequent. HOW TO MAKE A MODEL WORKING LEOTARD. SOME of my readers have no doubt seen this highly amusing and interesting toy. To those who have not, I will endeavour to describe, first, what it is like; and afterwards, how it is to be made. The principal part is not unlike, in shape and size, to a cigar-box standing on its end; this contains some machinery, which sets in motion a figure supposed to represent Leotard. The figure goes through a series of the most astounding and eccentric movements: first one leg rests on the bar or trapeze'; then both his legs are thrown high over his head; then he performs a series of turns with both his knees on the bar; then with both his feet; then with one leg, the other swinging about in the most absurd manner; then he rests himself preparatory to going through another course of similar movements-in fact, an almost endless variety of the most amusing and comic positions are gone through, which it is almost impossible for even the most serious spectator to witness without a hearty laugh, and who must also wonder at your ingenuity in making a machine to work so cleverly and long by itself. Many of my readers may, no doubt, at first think that the machinery is very complicated, and therefore difficult to make: let me at once assure you it is of the most simple construction, and with fair usage, almost impossible to get out of order. And now to explain the mode of working. The box containing the machinery is divided into three parts, each being divided from the other by a thin partition of wood. The divisions at the top and bottom are both the same size; the one in the middle is considerably larger, and contains a wheel made somewhat similar to a water-wheel, which, however, is not worked by water, but by fine sand, which falls from the top division into the buckets, or rather partitions of the wheel, and thus works it. In the process of manufacture, the principal articles required will be a small box, some cardboard, some glue, a few pins, an old pair of scissors: the box should be about eleven inches long by seven inches wide. The exact size is of course not necessary, but you should procure one as near the dimensions given as possible--an old cigar-box would do capitally. If you cannot procure a box of the required size, you must make one out of some thin wood. Having procured our box, the next thing to be done is to make the divisions; the first must be three inches across, the middle five inches across, and the bottom one the same size as the top: you must now divide these with two pieces of thin wood. We must not, however, fix Having fixed your axle securely, you must make a hole for it in the front of your box, which you must take care to make not larger than is actually required for the free working of the parts. these permanently until the wheel is made; | prevents it from slipping or giving way. and here some little care and patience will be required. Your wheel should be four inches in diameter: to make it you must describe two circles of that size on a piece of cardboard, and then carefully cut them out with a pair of old scissors; these are the discs of your wheel, which you must take care to make smooth round the edges. The next thing to be done is to make the buckets, or rather compartments of the wheel; and great care will be required to get them all at equal distances, the best way to ensure which is to mark the places for them on both your discs. There should be eight compartments, and therefore you will have to mark eight divisions, to do which you must divide the discs, first into quarters, and then into half-quarters; the divisions must be made of cardboard, for which you must cut out eight pieces, each one inch long by three-quarters of an inch wide. You should fix these securely between your discs with short pins, after which you must carefully go round the crevices and joints with liquid glue, using an old feather or brush; this in order that no sand may get in between, and thus both escape and damage your wheel. You have now the divisions of your wheel fixed, but as it now is, the sand would fall through them-the partitions want a bottom to each. These can be made out of cardboard, which you must securely fix with glue at the bottom of each divisionyou must be careful not to leave any crevice through which the sand might work. In some places a little sealing-wax might be found useful; but if you can do without it, I should not advise you to use any, as a quantity of it would be apt to overbalance your wheel, having finished which to your satisfaction, we will proceed to make its axle, which goes through the front of the box and forms the bar on which our Leotard works. The axle consists of a piece of stout wire, which, if it were simply placed through the centre of your wheel, would be apt to slip and get loose; to guard against which we must first fix the axle in the centre Our machine is now all enclosed in the of an oblong piece of wood, and to receive box, only the end of the axle of the wheel which you must cut a square hole through projects through the front, and this forms, the centre of your wheel; this effectually as I before explained, the bar on which our We have the two partitions already made, but not fixed, as before we secure them we shall have to make a hole for the sand to fall out of. This must be made a little to the left of the wheel; the whole should be two inches long and three-quarters of an inch wide. That is of course considerably larger than will be required for the sand to run out of; a part of it is, however, closed with a trap-door that prevents the sand from falling out, except through the proper place. The reason of this is, that when all your sand is run away from the top division you may turn your machine over, and the trap-door will give way and let the sand in, and thus set your wheel in motion again. The trap-door must be made out of a piece of leather, one end being tacked down either with small pins or tin tacks, thus making it to open like a door. You must, however, leave about a quarter of an inch space at the end, in order to allow the required quantity of sand to run out to turn your wheel. Having made your trap-door, you must make a small spout of cardboard from the spare space, in order to convey the sand to the wheel; the bottom partition must have a trap-door and spout precisely similar to the upper one, so that while the machine is in motion, the sand falling down will enter the lower division by the trapdoor, which, when you turn your machine over, prevents it from escaping, except through the spout. Thus, after the machine stops through all the sand being run out of the upper division, you will merely have to turn it over in order to set it in motion again. We must now fix the wheel, &c., and nail the back securely on; after which you must paste some brown paper round the edges, to prevent the sand from escaping through any corner or crevice. |