“To Bourbon, sire; he is near, and I will believe that account which seems to them summon him."

the most characteristic of our hero : “Do no such thing," returned Francis, “Madame, pour vous faire sçavoir le reste “far sooner would I plunge my good sword de mon in fortune, de toutes choses ne m'est to its hilt in my body than give it up to that demeuré que l'honneur et la vie qui est sauve ; traitor. No, call the Viceroy of Naples, et pour ce que en vostre adversité cette nouvelle and send him hither."

vous sera un peu de réconfort, j'ai prié que After much search Lannoy was found, and l'on me laysast vous éscrire cette lettre." hearing the king's desire, hastened to the When the first intelligence of this calamity spot where Francis stood with one foot reached Lyons, whither the Regent Duchess planted on the breast of a fallen Spaniard ; d'Angoulême had removed with her court, bending before him, half kneeling, the disappointment and mourning took the place viceroy asked whether he acknowledged of all ordinary avocations; women wept, and that the victory belonged to Charles V. and men sorrowed bitterly as they thought of would yield himself prisoner. For all answer all the brave fellows who had perished on the king held out his sword, placed it gently a foreign battle-field, and of the captivity and reverently in Lannoy's outstretched of their gallant king. hands, and said

The inertness of despair seemed to “Sir, receive the sword of a king not have taken hold of all save two, and they, altogether undeserving of praise, since, be- the persons most nearly touched by this fore yielding it, he has with it shed the blood calamity, alone rose equal to the occasion, of many of his foes ; now he surrenders ready each to take a share of the day's it and himself captive, not from lack of burden, and to save the kingdom of their courage, but rather from caprice of fortune." son and brother. Cruel as must have been

Having taken possession of the monarch's the agony of a woman so pre-eminent in weapon, the viceroy at once handed him her maternal affections as Louise de Savoie, another, remarking that it was unseemly for she recognised at once both the responsiso great a king to be unarmed before a bilities and difficulties of her position as subject of the emperor.

regent in the present crisis ; by example no Thus closed the fatal 24th of February, less than words it was essential that she 1520, when the fairest army France had should animate the courage of all who surever sent forth was annihilated; her best and rounded her. So, jealously keeping all evimost gallant nobles were dead or prisoners ; dence of her grief locked within her own and her valiant king was led captive to breast, this brave woman set about her Pizzeghitone, a small town between Lodi and work; collected money with which to meet Cremona, thence to be conveyed under strict the most pressing necessities, such as paying guard to his foe, Charles V., at Madrid. the arrears due to the poor remnant of

Most of our readers will remember the soldiers who returned from the Italian expression which Francis is supposed to have campaign ; found the ransoms deused in a letter written to his mother after manded for the liberation of some of their this battle : “ Tout est perdu fors l'honneur.” | leaders ; levied fresh troops ; provided for It has always appeared to us most improb- the internal security of the kingdom ; able that in a description of his misfortunes strengthened alliances with foreign powers; with regard to Pavia, written while still sore entered into secret negotiations with Pope from recent defeat, the king should have Clement VII., the Venetians, and even taken time or trouble to frame epigram- Soliman II. of Turkey; and last of all matical sentences, and therefore we insert an despatched ambassadors into England to extract from an author who gives us “The entreat Henry VIII. to exert all his influletter from Francis I. of France to his motherence to effect the liberation of her son. Louisa of Savoy," and leave our readers to

(To be continued.)

ACROSS THE HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS.

BY COLONEL DRAYSON, R.A.

EFT Simla and reached your servants are practically unlimited in

Theog." Such is the memo. number and look after your wants most in my journal for October 7th, carefully. For example, in this trip I took 1877, after which follow the with me my bearer, or head servant, who daily journeys, viz., from looks after my clothes, cleans my guns and

Theog to Muttiana, from rifles, attends to my every requirement at

) Muttiana to Narkunda, Nar- the camp; my khitmagar who cooks my kunda to Bhargee, from Bhargee to Sungree, food and provides it, as also my wine, &c.; and so taking the high road to Tibet, I and my syce and grass-cutter who look after my a friend enjoyed some shooting and ex- hill pony; a shikari or huntsman, and his ploring amidst the finest mountains and assistant coolie, who carry my gun and rifle finest scenery in the world.

when I am tired, and who aid me to climb Having completed some professional | the precipices, or past the most dangerous work, on which I was employed last year portions of the mountain paths ; about a at Simla, I found I could spare three weeks dozen coolies for each sportsman, who for a trip into the interior, and having the carry food, wine, bedding, blankets, watergood luck to know a thorough Indian sports- proofs, ammunition, and in fact everything man who was just starting on a shooting trip, that can be required for one's comfort. With and who during thirty years had hunted in such arrangements, you are certain at the these mountains, we joined our forces, end of a long day's sport to come to camp drew out a sketch of our proceedings, and and find an excellent dinner, a cool glass of started on our journey, the principal object champagne, a bath, change of clothes, and of my visit being to shoot monal, the large a bed. It is far different in many countries, pheasant of the Himalaya, termed also the especially in this of Nova Scotia, where the Impeyan pheasant, and other varieties of servant or Indian is disposed to think himpheasants and partridges found in the self as good as you are, and does not like forests of the Himalaya. In addition to to carry more than you do, nor to do any the sport, I was also desirous of treading work in which you do not perform your on the magnificent mountains that I had share. long gazed at from Simla, and which were ! From the start to the finish of this trip 90 miles distant, and to breath the air at the most grand and magnificent scenery an altitude of twenty thousand feet, and surrounded us. Simla, our starting point, is roam amidst the forest giarts in the valleys / seven thousand feet high, and as we between the snow-clad mountain peaks. advanced so we gradually ascended. If the

India is, of all countries, that one in which road or rather mountain-path descended sport can be indulged in under the most some two thousand feet, we soon again asfavourable circumstances. The hardships cended nearly three thousand. The valleys of travelling in other countries, is not ex- into which we dipped were densely wooded : perienced in India : you can there enjoy the Pinus excelsior, or giant pine, the sport like a gentleman, and, except that you | Deodata, another graceful tree, more nearly must walk or ride, and must endure. what approaching the cedar in character, were ever climate you happen to be in, you the principal ornaments. Immense masses otherwise live in the greatest comfort; as of detached rock, some two or three hun

dred feet high, were located in these the pines, produced the most pleasing valleys, and were partly covered with golden effect. Evidence existed everywhere of the moss, whilst maiden-hair ferns grew in the storms that frequently visit these elevated small hollows and crevices, and often were regions : about every fifth tree showed signs seen three feet in height, and of the richest of having been struck by lightning, whilst green. The stems of the trees were covered several trees had been shivered into small with brilliant scarlet and rich yellow creepers splinters by the electric force. The road which, contrasted with the dark green of in many places was of such a character as

to make one stand for a few seconds, hesi- , nerve, but confidence. It was not without tating, before advancing. A rock would cause that these places seemed dangerous ; overhang the path, appearing as though the for a year before our visit, a rider and his extra weight of a goat would cause it to topple horse fell over into the valley beneath, and on to you. The track along which you were both killed. had to travel was sometimes formed of pine At intervals of from eight to ten miles trunks, many of which had rotted or fallen on the route, were what are called Dâk away; the remainder were placed across a Bungalows, small houses used entirely by chasm, some thirty feet wide, beneath which travellers, and in which you are allowed to was a chasm of a thousand feet. Yet over this stay for twenty-four hours. In these bunfrail bridge, you and your pony must cross. galows are a bedstead, table and chairs ; It was giddy work, and required not only whilst a few servants remain permanently

ame a little will regretal had becohats, and

tỏ look after the visitors. From bungalow and excellent for the table. They are to bungalow is considered a march; but we diminishing in numbers, as the natives being desirous of reaching the best shooting snare and shoot them at all times of the ground, often performed two marches each year, many of the English visitors having day or about eighteen to twenty miles. the bad taste to buy these birds, no matter

At our first halt at Theog, I saw an old whether in or out of season. Our great native whose face had been fearfully lacer- wish, however, was to shoot some monal, as ated by a bear some years before. The these birds were unequalled as food, and whole of the lower part of his face had been their plumage was also lovely. My friend torn away, and the man narrowly escaped was sadly disappointed at not finding a with his life. The sight of this man caused single bird in localities where ten years my companion to tell me of an incident in previously he had been able to secure three his past sporting experience in this part of and four brace during a morning's shooting. the country, which terminated most unfor. He was at a loss for some time to account tunately for him.

for this disappearance of the monal; for it He was bear-shooting, and had wounded was a shy bird, difficult of approach, and a large bear, which immediately began the natives were bad shots and but illdescending a precipice near the path where provided with fowling pieces. At length, my friend was standing. Knowing that he however, we discovered the cause, and it is could kill the bear when it came a little one that we believe every true sportsman nearer, he stood ready for his shot. The will regret and condemn. The feathers of bear, coming down backwards, was within the monal had become fashionable for 20 yards of him and nearly above him, ornaments for ladies' hats, and a monal in when he fired and shot the bear through the good plumage fetched five rupees at Simla back. The animal gave a convulsive or Mussorie. A tradesman in the hills, struggle, and fell to the ground dead; but therefore, employed the hillmen to bring in its descent loosened a large piece of rock, him these birds, and paid them for the which fell and bounded against my friend's skins. How these birds were procured the legs, breaking one leg between the knee and tradesman did not care so long as he made the ankle. He had to be carried many money out of them. The hillmen found miles before his leg could be set, and his shooting uncertain, and snaring also but sporting trip was thus unfortunately termi- partially successful. They, therefore, found nated.

the monals' feeding places, and there scatAs we advanced on our journey and tered poisoned grain. The birds ate this ascended from station to station, I had an and about one in ten died on the spot and opportunity of noticing the changes that was secured; the remaining nine retreated occurred in the plumage of the common into dense cover and there miserably pheasant. At the foot of the Himalaya perished, and were never found. This is the pheasant is very similar to those found the cause of the extermination of game, a in England. As you ascend, the plumage thoroughly selfish act caused by the vanity becomes first sprinkled with golden feathers, of the fair sex, who, had they any proper then with white, until near the snows it is feeling, and knew how their ornaments were nearly all white. Then again, as you procured, would feel ashamed to be seen in descend towards Chinese Tartary, it gradu-them. The Government authorities are too ally merges into red and gold until you indolent and indifferent to attempt to effecfind the golden or Chinese pheasant. All tually stop this destruction. these birds are excellent eating, quite equal At Bhargee we had intelligence of a large to our English birds. On our second day's bear which had been busy during the night journey we shot some cocklass, a large feeding in the garden of a village. We pheasant with a white speckled plumage, beat for him with some fifty men, but failed to find him, and so we employed the after- running out like the baulks on a seanoon in shooting two or three brace of shore. The Sutlej river wound along this chikot, — a kind of partridge which is plain looking like a silver thread, whilst common on the open hillside. These the far distance faded away into inbirds are very wild, and require to be very distinctness. carefully stalked; they will also carry off a I wished to ascertain how far I could see large quantity of shot, so unless well hit into the plains; and as other travellers may they will escape.

like to gain similar information when they One of the most lovely views in the obtain a view of the sea or of plains from a Himalaya is to be obtained from the mountain, I here give the calculation bungalow at Narkunda. The snowy ranges, required. distant - about 50 miles, cover 120° of Hutto is 12,000 feet high. the horizon; they are about 26,000 feet The distance in miles you can see I high, and before and after sunrise exhibit call D. every variety of colouring. They first stand! The height in feet I call H. out white against a black background of Then the following equation solves the sky. Then, as the sun rises, they change problem :to a pale blue, from blue to violet, and then

DP=H. to pink, and again change to white and

Consequently . H = Do. black against a pale blue sky.

Substituting 12,000 for H, we have Having watched the sunrise effects from

X12,000 = D. my bungalow, I started with two dogs to Therefore 21,600 = D’, and D=148 miles ascend a mountain called Hutto, 12,000 feet (nearly). high, on which pheasants were to be found. Consequently, the atmosphere being clear, Two of my men accompanied me, and we I could see the horizon on the plains 148 ascended through a forest path which in miles distant, whilst in the opposite direction, many places was very dangerous, as the the snow-clad mountains, the highest in the road had fallen with a landslip, and had world, rising from 26,000 to 28,000 feet, been patched with a few fallen logs. were clear and distinct, though fifty miles

The dogs were very busy among the from me. Such a view, seen through the ferns, and soon put up some pheasants, two clearest of atmospheres, is I think unof which I shot. They had only two long equalled in the world, and is alone worth a white feathers in their tails, all the others trip to India to see. My admiration howbeing brown. Two monal got up out of ever was suddenly brought to a close in an range, and flew down a ravine to a distance unexpected manner. My shikari gave me of nearly a mile. The ground was so bad a pull, and called out, " Take care, sir, a that it would have taken me at least two snake ;” and there, close to my foot, was a hours to reach the place where they had snake, slowly moving through the grass. alighted, so they were given up.

It was a black viper, common on this On reaching the summit of the mountain, mountain, and very deadly. I killed the a magnificent view presented itself. On reptile, and made an inspection of its head one side were the snowy mountains, cover- and poisoned fangs. A brother of one ing one third of the horizon, two dark of the hillmen with me, had died from the mountains intervening between these and bite of a similar snake about two years my position. Thus a valley about twenty before. miles across, lay at my feet, the sides of The trail of bears was very plentiful here, this being covered with huts and gardens and also the signs of leopards. On desof the hillmen. In the opposite direc-cending the mountain, I saw some birds in tion were, the plains at the foot of the a small ravine. So, taking my shot gun, I Himalaya, the spurs of the mountains descended with a shikari, to obtain a shot