little persecutor, he endeavoured at once to transfix him with the sharp and pointed antlers which adorned his brow, and but for the extreme activity of our four-footed ally, we might have had to regret the result of our chace. As it was, however, the dog managed to avoid the desperate attacks of the cariboo (whose instinctive hatred to that race of animals had made him forgetful or regardless of the approach of his more dangerous enemy--man), and our whole party having now come up to the scene of action, the unequal contest was finished by a ball from G's rifle.

Our prize, on examination, proved a full-grown and well-conditioned buck (a bull), and the operation of cutting the throat having been performed with great glee by Poulcis, the goodness of the venison was also ascertained. Lolah having come up, the animal was left in his charge to be skinned, while the rest returned with great alacrity to the camp, where we that night made a double feast in honour of the slain.

The next day, having left the venison to be transported to Fredericton by the Indians, G- and myself paddled across the larger lake, and there leaving the canoe to return under the guidance of Poulcis, struck through the woods towards a new line of road between Fredericton and St. Andrew's, the bearing of which we had previously taken. After a fatiguing tramp, as we were loaded with our baggage, we met the settlement road, and pursuing that for a short way, arrived at the "Clearing" called the "Harvey Settlement," where a few men of our corps were then stationed. Here we left our heavy traps, to be forwarded at some future opportunity, and started on the way back to Fredericton. After a walk of about eleven miles, during which we killed some brace of partridges, we arrived at the Log Tavern, kept by a French Canadian, aud there found our waggon and horses. Seated in this, we speedily ran over the sixteen rough miles between us and head quarters, and at the last dinner-bugle found ourselves relating, in full conclave at the mess, the various adventures and mishaps of our first Sporting Ramble in New Brunswick.

GAME AND THE GAME-LAWS.

Amongst the rapid changes, and what the world is pleased to designate improvements of the present age, the sporting part of the community cannot but regret the effect which increasing civilization and over-population has had upon the country recreations and pursuits of once merric England. It is true that we possess many advantages and luxuries which, but comparatively few years ago, were almost unheard of; amongst them the high state of perfection to which travelling has been brought by steam, is undoubtedly the

first, and the most serviceable to the public. Yet, to this may, in a great measure, be traced the increasing scarcity of game throughout England, coupled with the high perfection to which the science of shooting has been brought. In former times, when percussion-caps had been unheard of, to bag half the number of shots was thought very decent practice; but now it would be considered sad bungling. This is a great reason for the increasing deficiency of game generally, except in some favoured spots where it is rigidly preserved; and the many and various attempts to bring about a repeal of the present laws bid fair to accomplish its total extinction. Now, although to those indifferent to field-sports this may appear but a trifling subject to engross much of the public attention, yet its results might prove of more consequence than we might first be led to suppose. The attractions presented by well-stocked preserves and abundant covers, to those whose tastes would, were such inducements wanting, lead them to pass their time in the metropolis, or on the continent, give the landlord and tenant an opportunity of mutual intercourse. The farmer is able to state any grievance in person, which may have arisen from the carelessness or misconduct of the agent or steward; the owner will also have it in his power to inquire into all the details of his estate, to become acquainted with the condition of his labourers and dependants, and to diffuse among them the proceeds of their exertions, instead of spending it amongst strangers. The preservation also of foxes is more closely connected with that of game than many are aware of. The latter forms almost wholly their subsistence-a fact often disputed, but yet a true one, and few preservers grudge a few head annually for that purpose. The scarcity of food consequent upon the reduction or removal of the penalty for poaching would be tolerably sure to drive Reynard to the hen-roosts for subsistence, and as even now he is regarded with no friendly eye by the tenantry of the hunting districts, his doom would then be unquestionably sealed.

At this time, when there is little of interest stirring to excite attention, the public mind is directed to the re-modelment of the gamelaws, and therefore every case, however remotely connected with the subject, is diligently sought for and brought to view. The grossest act of poaching is modified into a case rather for our commiseration than for punishment, and the legal enforcement of those powers granted for their suppression is misconstrued into an act of tyranny and injustice. That a bill of this description will be brought forward ere long is evident. Its success will, to say the least, be very problematical. The very considerable number of true sportsmen who compose the legislation will, let us hope, prevent it from being made only a party question, in which case its relative merits or demerits would be lost sight of, and the question would dwindle into a mere trial of party strength. Unless required by urgent necessity, the repeal of an existing law, especially one of a recent date, should be cautiously avoided. It is frequently essential that, from time to time, the present code should be altered to keep pace with the times and variation of custom, which render such changes necessary; but in the present instance the case is widely different. The sensible dimi

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nution of game of late years would rather require some fresh method to be found for their increase, than their total destruction, a result which would inevitably ensue from the proposed measure. One of the chief reasons urged is this: that crime, e. g. poaching, would be lessened by diminishing one of its incentives, e. g. game. But what would the poacher say if poaching was no longer punished, or only slightly, as an offence? He would say this to himself:-"So I have been fined, threatened, imprisoned, for knocking over a hare or a pheasant; and now it seems that I have been right, and the law wrong; so now I will blaze away, like my betters, with impunity." Such a view would most assuredly be taken of it by this class. They would be convinced that all the time they had been right, and the law wrong, and this step had been taken to redress the error. They would not look to the policy of the change, but only to the real facts. It might be urged that this would be an argument against the repeal of any law that might be proposed, and that the abrogation or modification of any statute which might be deemed requisite would be liable to the same question; but there is no political expediency in the present case. It appears to me, I confess, an excess of philanthropy to sacrifice one of the most healthful and favourite of our national amusements, in order that there might be no inducement for any idle fellows to trespass upon our property. It is said that they cannot understand why game should be made private property. This is a mere excuse. The poacher is always conscious that he is acting against the law; that killing a pheasant is equally a crime with stealing a duck or a chicken from a farm-yard; and since he is aware of this, he has no excuse; game has been made property, and therefore he knows the punishment to which he becomes liable. One more of the reasons_adduced is the injury done to the crops of the farmer. But are not these damages, with hardly an exception, always made good? The newspapers are now teeming with anecdotes of the number of acres of grain destroyed, and the injuries committed by rabbits to fences and young plantations; but such instances are comparatively rare, and when game abounds to that extent, the landowner is generally both able and willing to make ample compensation to the tenants.

I have suggested these few remarks in hope that they might meet the eyes of some influential readers, who might assist in averting so serious an evil to the interests of all who are attached to field-sports. I trust, however, that these fears are unfounded, and that the opponents to the measure are sufficiently numerous to effectually arrest the proposed step-one which threatens to annihilate an amusement so innocent in itself, so generally pursued, and so congenial to the tastes and habits of our countrymen.

D.

For some weeks a hard frost had set in, and the Serpentine river and the pieces of water in the Regent and St. James's parks had boasted of their ordinary number of skaters, and, as usual, had furnished many melancholy instances of the rashness and temerity of the youth of London. Hunting had been put an end to, and the Melton men had flocked to the metropolis, to await the arrival of the thaw; but day after day had they been disappointed. Among those who were particularly interested in a change of the weather, was the writer of the following pages, who, having received an invitation to pass a week at Berkeley Castle, was most desirous of benefiting, by the kind offer of the noble host, of mounting him during that period. My day of departure was fixed for Dec. 16, and so settled was the appearance of the weather upon the night of the 14th, as I walked home, that I was almost tempted to leave my hunting gear in London. Great was my delight, then, upon the morning of the 17th, to find a thaw prevailing. For the previous fortnight, my first question upon being called in the morning had been to ask what kind of a day it was; and, during that period, I had received the same answer: "Very cold, and frosty."

Dispirited by this constant disappointment, upon the morning I allude to I had asked no question: great, then, was my joy to find the streets sloppy, and a gentle rain falling. During the day I watched every appearance of the sky, and could hardly believe that the thaw had set in until towards the evening, when another shower gave promise of a wet night.

"What think you of the weather?" I exclaimed to a sporting friend of mine.

"A regular thaw," he replied; "I shall be off in the morning : we shall hunt on Tuesday."

"Thaw!" responded a regular Londoner, who detested the country; "it will freeze before the morning.'

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Thy wish is father, Harry, to that thought," I replied; “you are a genuine cockney, and cannot bear to have London empty." "Nous verrons," he laughingly rejoined; and we parted.

At six o'clock the following morning I was up, and, to my delight, I found a sort of Scotch mist. "All right!" I exclaimed. I finished my toilet, drove off to Paddington, and at eight o'clock got into the Bristol train, and, in a few seconds, was steamed off at a regular boiling pace of twenty miles per hour. No adventure occurred upon the rail. At two o'clock, I found myself at Bristol; then, taking the Gloucester train, reached Dursley before three o'clock; and the Castle by a little after that hour.

To begin with the beginning, as the story books say, we must inform our readers that the town of Berkeley is (according to the roadbooks) pleasantly situated on an eminence in the delightful vale of Berkeley, about a mile east of the river Severn. The church is a fine ancient edifice, and contains many monuments to the memory of different members of the Berkeley family; the tower stands at some distance from the church, and is a modern erection. This town gave birth to Dr. Jenner, the celebrated discoverer of vaccination. Of the castle, the great Colossus of Roads, Mr. Pattison, thus speaks:

"This ancient pile appears to have been founded soon after the Conquest, but has at different times since received important additions its present form approaches to a circle, and the buildings are enclosed by an irregular court, surrounded by a moat. The entrance to the keep is through an elegant sculptured arched door way, leading to a flight of steps, over which an apartment, called the dungeonroom, is shown as the place where Edward II. was barbarously murdered. This building is flanked by three semicircular towers, and a square one of later construction. The various apartments contain a good collection of portraits, many of them executed in a very superior style. During the civil wars, this castle was fortified for the king, and sustained a severe siege in the year 1645. About the same time, the town and neighbourhood frequently witnessed the disastrous effects of skirmishes between the contending parties."

So says the road-book. Anxious, however, to give a more historical account of this ancient castle, we have rummaged over some musty old volumes, and proceed to lay our newly-acquired information before our readers.

In an old work, published in the year 1720, we find the following account of Berkeley:-"It is so called from Berk-a birchen-tree, and Leas, which signifies a pasture. The manor did anciently belong to the famous nunnery of the town, till Godwin, Earl of Kent, cast his eye upon this fruitful place, and contrived to debauch the nuns, by sending a beautiful youth-his nephew-among them, that if he could effect his design he might beg their possessions upon the account of their wickedness. The heartless trick proved suc