to New South Wales!" I cannot walk twenty yards farther; so if you won't give me shelter, you will find my corpse at your gate in the morning!" This pathetic wind-up had no sooner escaped my lips, than I heard a feminine voice say "My dear, do go down and see who it is!" Never before or since did lovely woman's voice sound sweeter to my ears!-Heavens! could I have only flown through the casement, and had my ability only seconded my inclination, what a squeeze I would have given the fair speaker!—the pressure of a jack-in-the-box would have been child's play compared to it! Bless the pretty creatures! I have liked to hear them talk ever since; and love them all so much in consequence, that I have never been able to love one in particular!

This humane expression was immediately followed by-" Well! I will come down, and see who you are." The lattice then closed. I will not compare my situation just then to that of a lover watching his sweetheart's window, because I never tried the experiment, having always found it the handiest way to get in at the door;-but certainly, I think Doctor Herschel never watched the growth of a cauliflower in the moon with greater solicitude, through his great, long telescope, than I watched the lately closed lattice through the rails of the gate. In a short time, repeated flashes, accompanied by as many click-clicks, told me there was a desperate squabble between the flint and steel; and I sympathized with the tinder, for every spark appeared to warm me. Presently, I saw a pale, flickering light for a few seconds, and again all was darkness: the blower appeared flurried or asthmatic, I wished him in better wind with all my heart! Again, and again, did I observe the same phenomenon!-" Confound the match!" said I to myself"there's no brimstone on it ;" and I blew involuntarily, as if the tinderbox had been under my nose. Shortly after, however, a bright steady light assured me all was right;-it vanished-again appeared through a lower lattice-bolts grated-the door opened-and I saw to my great delight, a respectable-looking middle-aged gentleman, in his shirt and "inexpressibles."-Never saw a nicer-looking man in my life, nor one whose appearance gave me one-thousandth part the satisfaction!

Holding the light above him, to prevent its glare from dazzling his eyes, he at first cautiously poked his head out, and at the same time looked warily around, as if he expected to have seen all the robbers in the United Kingdom congregated round his dwelling; when, observing nothing to excite suspicion, he advanced slowly towards the gate, and thrusting his arm through the rails, felt my wet shirt, and at the same time looked me anxiously in the face. Now, whether my pretty, honest countenance, as aforesaid, or my wet shirt worked the charm, I know not; but certain I am that suspicion thawed in an instant, and a look of the warmest benevolence beamed in its place, while, with the exclamation, "Well, dang it, poore vellow, you are in a bad way zure enough!" the gate flew open. This movement, however, nearly upset everything for a second or two-at any rate it nearly upset me, who had been hanging on it for support-for the good gentleman, seeing me, as he thought, spring forward, and thinking, I suppose, that I wished to make a grab at him, very naturally sprang back in the opposite direction, and appeared very much inclined to try the weight of the candlestick on my braincase. Seeing, therefore, on my recovering myself, that he was again rather dubersome (as Jack would say) of his

visiter, I assured him the accident proceeded from weakness alone, and begged him not to be alarmed; and he, perceiving the truth of the assertion, with "Oh, dang it! I bean't at all afraid of you, young vellow," kindly gave me his arm, and we toddled up to the house as cozily together, as if we had sailed round the world in company, and I shortly found myself on the right side of the threshold.

Having effected a "lodgment," (as I believe our friends in the army call it,) my first thoughts were about the poor fellow on the rock. I accordingly immediately made known who I was, and related every thing that had taken place, and requested that men might be sent to remain on the cliffs with lights during the remainder of the night; for, although I was well aware that they could render him no assistance, yet I thought the bare sight of the lights, and the noise of their shouts, would cheer up his spirits, and enable him to hold out till daylight. My request was instantly complied with; and from the kind attention of all around me, I found I had lost nothing by the communication, for everything the house afforded was eagerly pressed on me, and could I have eaten gold, I feel assured I should have been treated with a dish of seven-shilling pieces at least, notwithstanding the bad state of the markets.

The good lady, who I may say was the first cause of my admittance, immediately proceeded to brew her hyson and gunpowder, while the plump, kind-hearted maid piled such a heap of faggots on the fire, that in a few minutes the house was in a blaze, and a looker-on would have been led to believe it was insured above its value, and that she wished to make a bonfire of it for the amusement of the underwriters. The kind owner of the mansion was as busy as the rest, for he shortly appeared with dry clothes and the brandy bottle; the latter received strong proofs of affection, and I also shipped a dry shirt and a shootingjacket, after I had disposed to my satisfaction of some of the bristles with which I had been accommodated by the furze-bush; but, as my worthy friend had nothing but inexpressibles, an article of rigging which I had never sported in my life, and which I feared would disable me from reaching the vessel after daylight, I preferred drying my trousers by the fire, before which I consequently sat, smoking like a lime-kiln.

As soon as I had sufficiently recovered the use of my fingers to enable me to write, I dispatched a note to the commanding-officer of the vessel, acquainting him with the accident, and directing him to hoist the cutter out, and send her alongshore for the relief of the man; and having done all in my power, I then, and not till then, (barring the brandy, however,) quietly enjoyed all the good things before me, to the infinite delight of my kind host and hostess. May they meet their reward, and be living to read this!

The people sent to the cliffs continued shouting and showing lights during the remainder of the night; but, owing to the height and steepness of the land, they were neither seen nor heard, as we afterwards discovered. At daylight, however, they saw a boat pulling to the westward, which, on being waved into an adjoining cove, proved to be the same one we had spoken in Torbay during the night. The crew, being informed of what had taken place, continued pulling as close to the land as prudence would admit, and at the same time narrowly watched the foot of the cliff; but had not proceeded far before they discovered something on a rock that looked like a bundle, and which,

on nearing, they found to be my unfortunate late companion. He was almost lifeless, and the sea was too heavy to allow of their landing. They had no alternative, therefore, but to throw him a rope, with a long bowline knot at the end of it, which he had barely sufficient strength to put under his arms, and he was then hauled into the sea, and afterwards into the boat. On being taken on board he was confined to his hammock many days, and it was three weeks before he resumed duty. Had I remained with him, neither of us, in all human probability, would have been found alive.

I have already said that not a splinter of the boat was ever picked up that I know of; some of the gear, however, was; for a day or two after, the crew of a Torbay boat were rather surprised at seeing a spar floating an end in the water near them. On sending their punt to pick it up, it was discovered to be a boat's mast, with a corpse hanging to the end of it by one hand firmly clenched round the tie! The body was buried in Brixham churchyard.

Another remarkable circumstance was, that of the other five hands who were drowned, two were Maltese, who swam like fishes; to which I may add that report said the poor marine had been upset but a little time before, and had been the only survivor of eleven hands! Surely he was our Jonah !

Having thus feebly related the way in which, in the short space of less than three hours, I escaped drowning twice, breaking my neck twice, being frozen to death once-(I'll say nothing about guns or candlesticks) I have only to add, that the rascally rock that caused our misfortune (and which, as if ashamed to show its ugly face, only shoved its peak above the surface at dead low water, and was consequently almost unknown, even to the fishermen,) has since been called

's rock, as I was informed some years after, when I went into Dartmouth harbour in a "copper-bottomed sarpent"—(she deserved the name for more reasons than one)-that I then commanded. I was also informed, at the same time, that pic nic parties visited the cliff in summer, and that the part I scaled went by the name of 's pass; and both it and the rock will, in all probability, continue to bear the same when the melancholy accident that occasioned their being so called shall have been forgotten, and when the writer of this lies low in the grave. In other words, when the name, as far as I am concerned, shall no longer pass current at the Pay-Office for twenty-three pounds at the end of a long quarter, and when it shall consequently have disappeared from Mr. Murray's list of "Luffo," which it may yet grace twenty years hence, if I am neither" burked" nor" cholera-morbused" before; for, notwithstanding I have served his Majesty (good luck to him!) and those of glorious memory who rode at his present moorings before him, almost without intermission ever since I parted company with my grandmamma, and have ever been ready for anything from manslaughter to tub and chaw-hunting, I begin strongly to suspect that-thanks to Waterloo, (I can't bear the very sight of the nasty medals-what a number of good spoons are spoilt !)-it will never shine on any other

"Till HE who all commands

Shall give, to call life's crew together,
The word to pipe all hands."

SCENES AND SPORTS IN THE DECCAN.

THE following pages may perhaps give the fire-side readers of the U. S. J. some idea of those unfrequented wilds in the N. E. of the Deccan, known by the name of the Warangul and Cummermait jungles, and of a remarkable superstitious notion entertained by the natives, as connected with a particular spot of those remote districts.

The cold season of 183- was nearly over, and with it had ended all the bustle it calls forth in the extensive cantonment of Secunderabad. The numerous reviews of the different corps stationed there, together with their concomitant balls and dinners, were concluded, the public rooms and amateur theatre were closed for the season, the races were at an end, and even the gaiety of the Residency was at a stand still; in short, the god of heat and dulness appeared to reign paramount, and to hold undisputed sway over the whole Hyderabad subsidiary force.

It is during this time of universal stagnation that I beg to introduce myself to the reader, together with my chum and brother sub, Lieutenant Cygnet, as we were both lazily reclining on our camp chairs, with our legs (as usual in India) on the breakfast table, which important meal we had just concluded. Cygnet was doing his best to reduce to vapour a Trichinopoly cheroot, and I was listlessly gazing on the rafters of the bungalow, and inwardly cursing a couple of sparrows, that had taken up their position on them, and whose constant chirping considerably disturbed the course of my meditations." I wish, Cygnet," cried I, losing at last all patience," I wish to God we could get rid of these cursed birds, they will fairly drive me mad." "They are certainly a great nuisance," replied he, "but, talking of driving, what say you to a drive down the lines this morning? I have two or three calls to make, and by the time I have finished my cheroot, it will be late enough to start." "Why," answered I, yawning, "I should not mind accompanying you, but that this weather 'tis such devilish hot work to go about in a red jacket, calling on the women. I vote we put on our shooting traps and try the snipe ground at Lallpett; though rather late in the season, we may yet find a few brace of stragglers.'

We were still discussing these knotty points, and had not determined which course to pursue, when the tramp of sandals in the verandah announced the approach of somebody, and a hasty "under aou" (come in) produced a tall gaunt figure, whose natural darkness of hue was not a little enhanced by the fatigue and exposure which his appearance implied.

We had, however, no difficulty in recognizing old Lingou, the confidential servant of our mutual friend Lessterre, who, in his professional pursuits, had been several months absent from Secunderabad. After the due number of salaams, Lingou approached and informed me that his master and party were then about two hundred miles off, and that he had been despatched into the cantonment to get fresh supplies, &c., with strict injunctions to deliver to me the following letter, which I annex for the benefit of the reader.

My dear

I take the opportunity of Lingou's going to the cantonment, to remind yourself and Cygnet of your promise to join our party this year, and you cannot have a better opportunity of performing it than the present,

as we are about to proceed a second time to the Perkhal Lake, to which place Lingou would serve you as a guide. We were there some time ago, and the accounts I had previously heard of its extent and the romantic beauty of its banks were in no way exaggerated. I shall not, however, by attempting a description, anticipate the pleasure I am sure you will feel on beholding this fine sheet of water; but, in order to tempt you to undertake the trip, I shall say a few words as to the sport to be had in its vicinity.

I have no hesitation in saying that at this time of the year it must be excellent; but at any other period, except during the dry season, it is not at all practicable, owing to the great height of the grass and rankness of the vegetation. While encamped there I am convinced that I was frequently within fifty feet of a herd of elk, without once getting a shot or even a glimpse at them; in fact, the grass was so high above my head, that I might as well have been in a pit. You must have heard the shrill bleating noise these animals usually make; this was my guide on these occasions, and a precious "will-o'-the-wisp" it invariably proved; leading me over bogs and morasses, till I could have almost sat down and cried with vexation; it appeared to me that the brutes never moved till they heard me rustling in the grass, and then went deliberately off, at least, if I might judge from their confounded bleating, which always appeared near enough to induce me to go on. However,

as the grass is now nearly all burnt up, I have no doubt we shall do considerable execution in the shooting way in the neighbourhood of the lake.

The natives have several ridiculous superstitions regarding the lake; amongst other things, they say that its banks are haunted by demons and spirits, and I, at last, began to believe that my friends the elks, with all their vanishing qualities, appertained to the lake's species.

What think you of my having failed in an attempt to shoot a wild buffalo, while encamped at Seevaporem, a village a few miles from the lake? The aumildar paid me a visit for the express purpose of requesting me to do what I could towards the destruction of an enormous buffalo, which had been the terror of the neighbourhood for the last three or four years, during which time he has been in the habit of constantly sallying out whenever he beholds a flock of tame buffaloes, and after killing or completely disabling the males, (which his very superior size and strength enables him easily to effect,) he follows up his victory by driving away the females into the jungles. The aumildar concluded his description by assuring me that two herdsmen had been killed in attempting to drive him off, that several others had been severely wounded, and that he had killed or disabled fifty or sixty male buffaloes; that several attempts had been made to shoot him, but, from their uniform want of success, they actually began to think he possessed a charmed life; he had lost an eye, and received innumerable fleshwounds, but on such occasions he always retired to some secluded spot, and lay in the water till his wounds healed.

I, of course, believed about a tenth part of this, and treated the rest as idle nonsense, but as he promised on the following morning to lead me to the spot the animal frequented, I engaged to do my best to despatch him.

I accordingly went to the place agreed upon, where I found an im