Judging from the state of the weather, it being then very warm, that we might snobble a bear, on the of May last we mounted our nags, in number eight good men, and in about an hour found ourselves at the above-mentioned village with appetites keen as a spear blade for feeding and sport. Having dispatched the former and began to fumigate, we waited impatiently for the arrival of the Bheels, who had been started early in the morning to look out for our hairy friend; the long wished for missionaries at length arrived and we perceived in a moment from the ghastly grin of the one-eyed Juan (the leader of the gang) that all was right. Upon our impatient inquiry of "how many," he held up in his most significant manner the foremost of his black digits. He gave the direction, we started our artillery, and in ten minutes were within two hundred yards of the scene of action, and, having loaded, began to consider the plan of attack. This being quickly arranged, five of the party were told off with a Bheel for their guide, to move direct upon Bruin and start him from his lair, and the other three took up a position upon the side of the nullah, directly opposite to where he was lying. In a minute or two the party of five came upon the sleeping brute. He started up and reconnoitred his visitors, who quickly made known their intentions by discharging, at a distance of 10 paces, seven or eight barrels in as many seconds. He now began to vociferate loudly at this treatment, and, with his black snout covered with blood, rushed at the party. His appearance at this moment was picturesque in the extreme, and he looked anything but harmless; one or two shots more from the

steady hands, and a volley from those on the opposite bank, rolled him over into the nullah, carrying the bushes along with him in his descent. Here, to our surprise, he recovered his legs and began to ascend the opposite bank, which he was effectually prevented from succeeding in, by a fire from the party stationed there, which had (as a French friend of mine remarked) the effect of a cup of

grease.

To show the extraordinary tenacity to life of these animals, we examined him, and he was found to have two balls in the head and five or six in the body, at the first two discharges; nor did he fall till he had received nine wounds. -So much for bear hunting.

We moved out the next day and killed another, which showed good sport, as we were much amused by his making his appearance with a sudden rush out of his den, like a close shorn sheep, from the effect of the fire which we had applied for the purpose of driving him ont. The day after we moved out, but were unsuccessful, killing but two sombre, and wounding an enormous tiger, which, from the tremendous nature of the ground, escaped. Here ends the three days' sport, and if you find this trifle worthy of insertion, I shall be inclined next cold weather to send another, and, I trust, more deserving article.

Yours, &c., &c.,
S. E. R.

Asseerghur, 21st Sept.

P.S.-I wish, my dear Mr. Editor, you would make known to your correspondents that the Sporting Magazine was never meant to be a receptacle for sour criticisms and lines on dead canary birds.

MATCH BETWEEN SIMON BYRNE

AND SANDY M'KAY.

led

This

The long-pending match between Simon Byrne, "the tight Irish Boy," and Sandy M'Kay, the Champion of "the land o' cakes," for two hundred pounds a side, was decided on Wednesday last, without the most distant suspicion of the integrity of either of the men, and without interruption, although some alarm was excited on the morning of the mill. Fame has already recorded the merits of the men, and it will be recollected they once before entered the pugilistic lists together, when Byrne was victorious, although the prejudices of the "gude men o' the North" them to think that Sandy, had the battle been prolonged, would have produced a contrary result. feeling, added to Sandy's additional experience, led his friends to gratify him by giving him another chance, and thus the new match was made, both men being backed by Corinthians of the first order, whose only object was to preserve the sports of the ring, and to give encouragement to athletic exercises. Sandy was kindly taken in hand by the celebrated Captain Barclay, whose patronage and hard training of Tom Cribb will long live in the pages of Boxiana. He was invited to Ury, the seat of the gymnastic hero, and there underwent that strict discipline which was calculated to improve his stamina, and render him fully competent, as far as constitution went, to the task he had in contemplation. It was im

possible, in fact, for a man to have been brought into better condition, or to have felt more perfect confidence in success. Byrne, who was backed by the swells of the "Sooth," trained at Brighton, in company with his old friend, Tom Reynolds, and up to Friday three weeks was all his friends could wish. Unfortunately, however, on that day, while playing ball with Reynolds in the barrack-yard, he sprained his ankle, and, ever after, almost to the eve of the all-important struggle, was under surgical advice. To the sprain was added a slight cold, which rendered it necessary to apply a warm plaster to his chest; but notwithstanding these disadvantages, such was his personal confidence, that he withheld the secret from the greater part of his friends, and "stole away" towards the scene of action without subjecting himself to close observation, although rumours were afloat that he was not exactly up to the mark.

The match, we have said, was made among the nobs, and a gentleman was appointed to name the place of meeting, whose knowledge of localities, it was thought, would enable him to select a spot free from objection. Various spots were mentioned, and at length the "office" was given in for Salcey Forest, on the borders of Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, about sixty miles from London. This fixture was kept a secret among a select few till the Monday before fighting, from a design to defeat the machinations of certain honour

able members of the ring, who had repeatedly threatened to spoil sport; and this plan had the desired effect, although an attempt of a very suspicious nature was actually made, as we shall hereafter describe, to grab Sandy M'Kay on his way to the scene of action.

About a week before the appointed day, M'Kay set out from his training quarters to the seat of one of his backers in the South, . and on the road was greeted by the good wishes of his countrymen. He was accompanied by George Cooper, who quitted Edinburgh for the purpose, and on Tuesday morning he was seated comfortably at the Watt's Arms, in the village of Hanslope, Bucks, close to the field of battle, where he was joined by the veteran, Tom Cribb. On Monday Simon Byrne and Tom Reynolds set out from London in the same direction, making their first rest at the Star, at Hockliffe, and proceeding the next day to the Cock, at Stoney Stratford, where they were joined by several of their friends, and all was pleasing anticipation of the forthcoming sports. At Stoney Stratford, as well as elsewhere, the secret was kept, and thus the muster of ordinary ring-goers was extremely thin, the arrivals principally consisting of a few fours and pairs, and an occasional humane "set out" of "three in a gig," in which it may be supposed the poor hired nags had the worst of the amusement. Phil Sampson and Young Dutch Sam arrived together at Stoney Stratford on Tuesday night, where they remained till the next morning. Bob Avery, from Glasgow, who had been defeated by Byrne, was also among the arrivals, as well as Ned Neal, Harry Holt, Peter Crawley, Reuben Marten,

Arthur Mathewson, Dick Curtis, Ferkins, the Oxford Pet, Jem Ward, Jack Carter, and other members of the London ring.

At ten o'clock on Wednesday morning, Byrne started for Hanslope in a chaise with some of his backers, and took up his temporary residence at the Green Man, and was there relieved with some difficulty from his culty from his warm plasterafter which he lay down to wait the signal for his march to action. He was in tolerable spirits, but his conscious deficiency in condition seemed to prey a little on his mind, and had a similar effect on the feelings of those who wished him success. We have already stated that Salcey Forest was named for the point of rendezvous; this, we believe, belongs partly to the Duke of Grafton, and also comprises a considerable portion of Crown lands; but it turned out that this was "sacred sod," for the noble duke having heard of the honour intended for his estate, his son, Lord Euston, sent a letter to Mr. Kent, the officer who has charge of the Crown lands, requesting him to prevent the affair from taking place either on the Grafton estate or the lands of the Crown, for which purpose he was desired to obtain the attendance of the constables in the neighbourhood, and, as a further assistance, Ledbetter, the active and intelligent officer of Bow-street, was sent down by Sir Richard Birnie to give all the aid necessary. No orders were given, however, to prevent the meeting in any other place. Mr. Kent, Ledbetter, and the posse comitatus were accordingly early on the alert, and, having had an interview with the Commissary-in-chief and his Deputy, an understanding was immediately come to that the most perfect obedience should be paid to their directions, and under

proper guidance the ring was formed on the "poor lands" of the parish of Hartwell, on the edge of the county of Northampton, for which purpose abundance of waggons were obtained from the surrounding farmers, and everything was conducted with perfect order and regularity.

All now looked well for the sport, and the Watt's Arms, where Sandy M'Kay was stationed, became the centre of attraction. Sandy was in company with George Cooper and Tom Cribb, and held a sort of levee, which was attended by his friends, and the friends of the ring who could obtain admission. He was in the most buoyant temper, and his colossal stature and determined aspect produced a strong prejudice in his favour. The throng now gradually thickened in the village, while others proceeded to the field of action.

In the midst of a general belief that "all would go on well," and without interruption, the sudden arrival of Mr. White, the chief constable of Newport Pagnell, and several assistants, excited some apprehensions, which were still further increased when they avowed their intention, under magisterial authority, to grab the Scotch Champion on his way to battle, for which purpose they stationed themselves at the foot of the stairs leading to his chamber, and at the front and hack door. This was indeed a poser; but still a hope was entertained that the swell backers of Sandy would on their arrival make "all right."

In the interim, Byrne, to avoid similar kind intentions, was conducted by his friends along a back road to the appointed spot in safety, where he awaited the approach of his antagonist.

During the interval inquiries were made as to the inducement

to magisterial interference," when it was discovered that a letter had been sent off from Stoney Stratford in the dead of Tuesday night to Newport Pagnell, either to a magistrate or to the high constable, and suspicions naturally turned on persons known to have been at Stoney Stratford, who had not only indulged in threats, but had proved themselves decided enemies to the sports of the ring." Whether these suspicions were well-founded, we had no means of ascertaining; but they were evidently indulged not without "good and probable cause,

At twelve o'clock the expected "nobs" reached the Watt's Arms, and were as much surprised as mortified at the threatened interruption. Their eloquence was, of course, exercised to "stall off" the traps; but it was all in vain— these persons had their instructions, and expressed their determination to perform their duty. As it was known that the power of these inexorables did not extend beyond the county of Bucks, it now became a question for consultation how their vigilance was to be defeated so as to get M'Kay into Northamptonshire; and after due arrangement the following ruse was practised:-A stranger was dressed up in a Scotch cap and rough coat with instructions to make a rush through the phalanx of officers, and thus occupy their attention, while the real 66 Simon Pure" bolted through a back window, down a ladder into an adjoining meadow, and then to a carriage at a little distance, in which he was borne from pursuit. This masterly move was admirably effected throughout, and thereby the Caledonian and his friends reached the ring without further interruption, having no longer the fear of the beaks before their eyes.

The hour of one had now nearly