A bear now appeared, with foaming mouth and glaring eyes, at times turning as if he would gladly struggle with his pursuers; but when he saw his only way of escapethe bridge-occupied, he growled terribly, and raised himself on his hind legs, was rushing on Villetreton and Malatour, when a ball struck him in the forehead, and he fell dead at their feet.

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Malatour convulsively grasped his gun; he had become completely powerless; when suddenly new cries, louder and more pressing, were heard, Fire! fire! he is ou you!" shouted the hunter, who appeared unexpectedly, pale and agitated, his gun to his shoulder, but afraid to fire, lest he should wound or kill his master.

Villetreton, perceiving his agitation, turned round. It was indeed time. On the other side of the bridge, a bear, much larger than than the first, was in the act of making a final rush. Springing forward, the baron seized the gun of his terrified companion, and instantly lodged its contents in the breast of the bear, which rolled, in the death struggle, to where they stood. All this was the work of a moment. Even the knees of the hardy old hunter shook with emotion at his master's escape; as for Malatour, his livid paleness and convulsive shudderings told their own tale.

"Take your weapon," said the baron, quickly giving him the carbine: 'here are our comrades, they must not see you unarmed; and, hunter, not a word of all this." "Look!" said he to his companions as they gathered around, pointing to the monstrous beasts, one to each. Now, M. de Malatour, I wait your orders." The latter made no reply, but stretched out his hand, which Villetreton cordially shook.

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That evening a banquet was given to celebrate the

double victory. Towards the close of the evening Malatour rose up and exclaimed, "It was M. Villetreton alone who killed the two bears; and if, through his generosity, I have allowed the illusion to last so long, it was simply because the affront which I gave him was a public one, and the reparation ought to be public likewise. I now declare that M. de Villetreton is the bravest of the brave, and that I shall maintain it towards all and against all."-CASSELL'S NATURAL HISTORY.

A BOAR HUNT.

On arriving at the field, a little before sunset, we found the owners with a pack of curs preparing to scare away the boar; and they told us it was no use firing at him, for there was not a huntsman of any fame in the neighbourhood who had not had a shot, but without success. It was, they said, as much as they could do to prevent the beast destroying all the melons, as he cared little for either dogs or men; nay, he would stay quietly at the border of the wood, until he found an occasion for rushing in to seize a melon, with which he would make off into the thicket; and, when dogs and men were tired with watching and overcome by sleep, he would boldly enter the ground and bite, as if for mere spite, a piece out of every melon that was fit to eat. In fact, they thought him to be some evil-disposed jin (spirit), and therefore it might be even an unholy act to kill him; for there was no knowing, some whispered, what might happen in such a case.

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"Well," said I, "let me try my hand, and if I fail, as others have done, I will pay for every melou he destroys: but I hope for success."

“Allah Akbar" (God is great), said one of the melongrowers: "if, Christian, you only saw his tusks, and how

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he puts up his bristles when he enters the field, you would wish yourself in Tangier again!" But come," said they, make ready for the sun is nearly set, and you may be certain the boar is now listening to all we are saying."

I was now conducted to a pomegranate bush, near which there were some ripe melons. Here I was to station myself; and, by sitting cross-legged on the ground, I was partly hidden by some long grass. Ali Safar wished to be my companion, but I preferred, as I always do at nighthunts, to be alone, being thus more likely to keep awake.

"May God preserve you!" said the party, as they took their leave; and take care," they added, "not to sleep." We shall be within hearing of your shot, and will come to your assistance the moment you fire."

Well, good night!" I replied, and I arranged myself for the attack.

The sound of the Moor's footsteps had scarcely died away, when a slight crackling in the wood drew my attention; and soon I heard, and plainly, the rooting and the footsteps of some large animal.

"At any rate,” thought I, "he does not move like a supernatural being." Whilst I was waiting in this state of excitement for the boar's approach, I heard the tread of a man's foot in a different direction from that by which the party had retired; and shortly I saw a long gun-barrel glisten in the twilight, over the hedge. When the man who carried it reached the low gate, and had cautiously thrown it open, he looked into the field, and then, to my surprise, and some fear too, he levelled his long gun exactly at the spot where I was sitting. In a moment I pointed my gun at his head, and called out in Arabic, "Who is there?"

"Your better," was the reply.

"That," I retorted, "remains to be proved. Down with your gun, or I fire!"

"Son of the English," said the hunter, who recognised my voice, "thank God! I did not fire; but you looked so very like a boar, as you sat under the pomegranate bush, that I was just going to shoot when you called out.”

I fear," said I to the hunter, who proved to be no other than my friend Hajji Abdallah, "you have spoiled my sport, for the boar will have made off."

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No, no," he said, "I have fired at this boar half-a-dozen times in the same night; he is now listening to what we are saying; and when we have ceased to make a noise, he will come in for his melon just as if nobody was here, and carry it off to the wood'

I now begged him to join the rest of the party, for I wished to be alone, and accordingly he took his leave.

The last rays of daylight had now disappeared-the night was cold—there was no moon-and the stars, usually bright in this climate, were dimmed by clouds: the wood began to echo with the howlings of jackals, searching for their prey -and soon the dull sound of the evening-gun at Gibraltar reached my ears, and told it was nine o'clock. I had given up all hope of the boar returning, when a dark shadow passed rapidly across the field, and, retreating to the wood, rather startled me. I then heard the munching of a melon. That was cleverly done," thought I, "and jin-like; but try such a manœuvre again, my fine fellow, and I will be your match."

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Some minutes elapsed and again the same dark shadow passed, stopped for a moment, and then made towards the wood. I determined, however, not to fire till I could get a near shot; and I thought that, perhaps, the animal hearing no noise, would be less rapid in his movements. Again and again the same thing occurred; and I was counting the number of melons he would manage to destroy before the morning, and for which I should have to pay, when the

boar, entering as before, stopped, and began to blow, and make the low moan which the Moors interpret, "I hope there is no treachery." I aimed my gun at his head, which was towards me; but he was too far off for me to fire at him on a dark night. Taking courage on finding no dog to molest him, he began to root quite at his ease, and gradually neared the spot where I was posted, till he came within paces.

I held my breath, and got ready my gun; his whole side was turned towards me: I aimed at his shoulder, I then lowered my gun to be sure that my aim was good; again I pointed, again I lowered it; a third time I levelled, fired, and threw myself flat on my face. I heard the beast rush by me, and, as it appeared to me, fall some twenty yards beyond there was a slight kicking for a few moments, and then all was quiet. Still lying on the ground, I quietly loaded my gun, and half raised myself, to see if I could make him out.

The owners of the field and Ali Safar soon joined me. I told them what I had done, but they would not believe that the animal was wounded.

"Take care!" said I, "of yourselves; for he may be on the top of us before we are aware

'Where," said one of them, "did you hear him last?" I led the man to the spot amid some long grass.

"There ought to be blood hereabouts, then, if the animal is wounded," said he, putting down his hand. As he did this he started back, and ran off, shouting "E'Shaitan, E'Shaitan" (the Devil, the Devil). I put my gun down, and found that there was the boar, but the beast was quite dead.

They would hardly credit my success at first, but when they discovered the monster to be truly dead, they were most eloquent in their praises.-HAY.