less and inquiring mind. In the intervals of leisure, especially when he came again to his mother's house, his great delight was to read of voyages to distant lands, and journeys of discovery; and his enterprising spirit would have urged him to seek a wider and more attractive field of action, but for his passion for Anne; for he could not resolve to wander from the spot where she dwelt. She was vain of her lover; for he had an open intelligent countenance, and on his finely-formed person brighter eyes than her's might have gazed with desire.

A few miles from the town stood the ancient seat of an old and wealthy family; an open park spread in the front, and to the right were fine and gloomy woods, beyond which rose the rugged hill of Trecroven, whose summit looked on a stern and dreary scene. The lady of this mansion, being in want of an attendant on her person, cast her eyes upon Anne, whose modest and quiet manners fitted her for the situation, which she accepted with: pleasure, as it placed her amidst a gayer scene of life than her own still home, and made her to be the chief of a numerous retinue of domestics. Old customs were strictly preserved by the lady of the ancient hall, who on every sabbath morning, if the weather was fine, walked to. the neighbouring church, followed by her domestics in procession, each according to their rank. This situation had been accepted while her lover was absent on one of his voy-; ages; and on his return he heard, with no small surprise, that Anne had left the house of her parents for a new and more busy scene. He, hastened to her new place of abode, and was received with sincere plea sure, although he fancied her reception somewhat less kind and warm than usual. During many weeks be remained at home ere the vessel

sailed on her next voyage, and dur ing this time of relaxation it was that jealousy first entered his thoughts; for some of his acquaintance began to talk of the great attentions that were paid to his mistress by the steward of the mansion where she lived, and which, it was said, were not unwillingly received. It seemed, in the Sunday's procession to the neighbouring parish church (that stands almost embedded in loose hillocks of sand, which tradition says were raised one night by a strong wind), the place of the girl had been by the steward's side, according to the strick etiquette of rank, and this had given rise to many civilities and attentions from

he latter.

Williams did not communicate his suspicions; on the contrary, he brooded over them, and they every, day acquired strength by the additions of his own imagination, till the fair structure of his happiness seemed about to be sapped and overthrown..

In the ensuing year he and Anne were to be united, and they had already fixed on the spot that was to be their future home. It was in a glen, about a mile from the town, so small that it eluded the eye of the traveller, unless he took a winding path that led up the breezy hill. On one of the sloping sides of this diminutive yet beautiful glen was a cottage, shaded by two high and wide-spreading trees; and the si lence that prevailed was broken only by a rivulet, which rushed down into the sea. The windows of this dwelling overlooked the deep, be tween the advance of whose waves, and where the wild verdure of the slope terminated, was a small beach of sand, of snowy whiteness, where upon the moonlight. always fell; beautifully. And here did the young man with reason look forward to find exquisite enjoyinent awaiting

him on his return from his voyages; to exchange at times the toil and bustle of a sailor's life for this place of comfort and peace, and the society of Anne, to whom at evening he would then read his few books of voyages in distant lands.

And now, that the clouds should darken such a prospect; that disappointment should come between, and with its warning finger point to the untimely wreck of every hope; and that these things should be from a cause that he could not bear to reflect on, and yet must endure was agony to his feelings! for he shared in the superstitious notions, and in the belief of omens, that prevailed in his native place; and a dream had followed him for many nights, in which he seemed to stand on the brink of a headland; and, though no wind awoke, forms came onward over the deep, at one time that of the guideless vessel, her canvass filled, and on her silent deck stood a lonely female figure, who beckoned him to come and bear her company in that fearful voyage, it was the form and face of her he loved, and her gaze was fixed on his like a spell, till she was lost in the distance.

These were presages of misfortune; at least poor Williams believed them to be so; and it was on the evening of a calm and cloudless day that he went to bid farewell to his intended wife, as his vessel was to sail in the night with the full tide. They walked out together into one of the retired and gloomy woods that bordered that ancient mansion, which was then sustained in its pride, but is now sunk into partial decay. The heart of each was full, for they were about to part, and the deep silence of the closing evening was in unison with their feelings. Williams at last gave vent to those feelings which he had better have restrained, and threw out

suspicions of the fidelity of his mistress's attachment to him. She burst into tears, and attempted to vindicate herself, but confusedly, for she knew she had been guilty of too much levity during her lover's absence; yet her heart was his alone, and she assured him that her affection had never wandered. He ought to have unreservedly believed her, and, like Allan, when parting on the shore from Judith (in the beautiful tale of the Parting Hour'), to have left her with the urgent yet tender injunctions never to give ear to a rival's tale. But his mind was chafed and wrought on by the malice of others; and his words became angrier and more accusing, till at length the spirit of the girl was roused in turn, and she sharply told him, that since he persisted in doubting her truth, in spite of all her protestations, it was better that their attachment should be broken off. His evil genius prompted him to return an assenting answer, though it came from his heart with a deeper pang than if the blood that warmed it had been suddenly poured forth. Then it shall be at an end,' replied his mistress in a decided yet agitated voice. He spoke not a word again, but cast on her features one look of unutterable anguish, and suddenly left her, without bidding adieu. He hurried rapidly over the path that conducted to the beach, where his vessel awaited him, and, springing on board, was instantly engaged in preparations for sailing. It was midnight when the vessel left the port; the breeze was favourable, and she passed rapidly out of the bay. The eager and active exertion that had at first occupied Williams's attention prevented him from being sensible of the whole weight of the shock his heart had received.

(To be continued.)

Tales of the West.

-They are placed at the distance of sixteen inches from each other, and crossed by four rows of powerful beams, bound fast to them by pliant canes. To this pallisade are added supporters more inclined, several feet asunder, augmenting the firmness of the fence. The part of it in which the elephants are first inclosed, is eighteen hundred feet in circumference; but it communicates with a smaller fold, one hundred feet in length, and forty broad, through which a rivulet passes, five feet in depth, and nearly fills the enclosure. The elephants enter this place of confinement at only one gate; and beyond the water the fence gradually contracts, terminating in a strong passage, five feet broad and one hundred feet long.

We give likewise, in our author's own words, the striking picture of the entrance of the elephants into the first snare.

'All things being ready for driving the elephants into the snare, the governor and his party repaired to the ground about seven o'clock in the evening, ascended the elevated bungaloe by a long ladder, and waited several dark and tedious hours; but the termination of the chase amply repaid their patience. It was necessary that silence, as well as darkness, should reign amongst us; and, in a situation where our eyes and ears were otherwise so attentively engaged, conversation would be particularly irk

some.

The shouting of the hunters was incessant, muskets and rockets joined in the chorus; and the wild roaring of the elephants was heard at intervals, more distinctly warning us of their approach. At length the forest crashed, and the enormous herd pushed forward with fury, levelling instantaneously every tree which opposed their passage. The following up of the people with the lights and fire-works was truly

grand. Every man waved in his hand a blazing torch, formed of a bundle of reeds, the feeble but effectual means of defence against a tremendous foe.'

When the first enclosure is completely stocked, the four gates are closed, and secured with strong stakes. Then another chain of fire and torches is formed within the enclosure, and the persecuted animals are driven forward in like manner into the fold.

'The line of flame once more began its terrifying movement, and the people resumed their tumultuons noise, mingled with the din of trumpets, drums, and arms. The affrighted herd, again annoyed with impending horrors, renewed their tremendous flight, and rushing into the water snare, experienced still greater sorrows. As soon as seventy elephants had found their way into this place, it being sufficiently crammed, the cords were cut, and the barricading gate dropped down. The greater part of those which had entered were so closely wedged together, that many of them were motionless; and even the foremost, which were less confined, saw only. a fallacious opening to lead them from this doleful labyrinth. Upwards of one hundred of the captured herd, cut off from their companions, were left for a time to range at more liberty in the larger prison.'-All this took place during the night.

'At sunrise,' continues Mr. Cordiner, we became spectators of a most extraordinary sight! So great number of enormous animals crowded into so small a space, is a spectacle rarely to be seen. Pressing heavily upon one another, incapable of almost any movement but convulsions of distress, their paroxysms of anguish could not be contemplated without emotion. The most hazardous part of the business remains, that of seizing on the ele

phants at the end of the long pas sage, which is the only outlet from the water snare. They are driven in one by one, making furious efforts to regain their liberty. When they reach the gate at the end, strong beams are inserted across the passage behind, to prevent them from retreating. Men then approach, and bind their hind legs with great ropes, and five or six turns of smaller cordage are passed round their necks. While these operations are going on, a man stands before the gate of the passage, tickling the elephant's trunk, and diverting his attention. In this manner they are secured, yet accidents frequently happen at this time. On the present occasion, one man tumbled into the passage, and was instantly trampled to death by an enraged elephant. They frequently press against one another in the water snare, and the passage, with so much violence, that some are squeezed to death, or drop down dead with fatigue.'

When the wild elephant is completely harnessed, two tame elephants, trained to the business, are brought to the gate, and placed one on each side of it. These survey the prisoner whom they have to conduct, feel his mouth to know whe ther he has tusks or not, and lay hold of his proboscis, to ascertain what degree of resistance he is likely to make. Ropes are passed through the collar of the wild elephant, and made fast to two similar collars on each of the tame ones. The bars of the gate are then unloosed and drawn out, and the wild captive darts forward directly between the two tame elephants: he can, however, only advance a little way, as the ropes securing his hind legs still continue fastened to the strong stakes of the toil. In this situation he remains until the riders, mounted on the tame elephants, have drawn tight the cords which bind

him to the necks of his half reasoning conductors.

During this operation he endeavours to undo with his trunk some of the knots which have been made, and often attempts to give a destructive blow to the diminutive creatures so actively engaged in confirming his captivity. But the two tame elephants, who are vigilantly observant of all his motions, never fail to prevent him from doing any mischief, by gently lowering his proboscis with their own: if he continues long refractory, they batter him with their heads, and at last produce the most obsequious submission. The looses of the rope are then opened, leaving his hind legs at freedom, and himself entirely disengaged from the snare. The two tame elephants press close on each side of him, and proceed, in pompous procession, to the garden of stalls, where they deliver up their charge to experience another kind of hardship. The marching off this venerable trio is a sight truly magnificent, and exhibits a noble specimen of the skill of man, united with the sagacity of the elephant.

In this manner the prisoner is conducted to a grove, where, if he is of an ordinary size, he is sufficiently secured by being placed lengthways between two trees, to one of which his hind legs are tied, and one of his fore legs to the other. A more complicated apparatus of ropes and stakes is necessary for those which are remarkable for strength and fury. The tame conductors then move away to secure another captive. An elephant may frequently be tamed in eight or ten days, though in some other instances months are required. When tamed, they are marched round to Jaffnapatam, there sold by public auction, and thence exported to the opposite continent.