The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-29 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

hunting them with dogs, or snaring them;
the first three are "orthodox," the last two
" rank poaching"—while the best period of the
year for sport is at the fall :

The bull is, at this season, in his Full vigour, and
is truly a noble animal to behold. Adorned with massive
antlers, and evincing a roaming, wild, awl sometimes
fierce disposition, there is more excitement attendant on
shooting a bull•mnoose in the fall, than at any other time of
the year.
The delicious days and mild nights, particularly during
the Indian summer, are much preferable to the cold, varia-
ble weather of the winter ; while the science and wood-
craft displayed by the Indian hunter in discovering and
following a moose track, in places where, even by the closest
scrutiny, the eye of the white man cannot distinguish the
foot-print ; and the delightful ease of walking in moccasins
over the elastic carpeting of moss in the fir forests, and on
the soft, moist, newly-fallen leaves in the hard woods, give
to this season undeniable precedence.
In the fall, too, additional sport may be obtained at night,
and sometimes even during the day, by calling the bull-
moose. Most of the Indians, who make it their business
to accompany the sportsman into the woods, are good
hands at calling. The moose " call" is a trumpet, made
by rolling a sheet of birch-bark into a cone. No material
has been found to equal birch-bark for this purpose. Metal
will not answer, producing a sound too shrill and ringing.
The Indian commences to call at sundown, ceasing when
it becomes dark, till moonrise, as a moose coming up when
there was not sufficient light to see along the barrels would
almost certainly escape.
The very best time to call is towards morning—for an
hour before dawn, and for a short time after daybreak. At
this time moose appear to be less cautious, and more eager
to answer the call than they are in the early part of the
night.
• • • •

Nothing can be more productive of feelings of excitement
than sitting, wrapped in blankets, on the edge of a forest-
girt plain, the moon peeriug through mists of gently-falling
dew and faintly illuminating the wild scene, now flashing
on the white surface of a granite boulder, and then spark-
ling in the water of the swamp, and on the bedewed mounds
of moss, and clumps of ground-laurels; nothing can be
more exciting, when the wild notes of the Indian's call,
rending the calm air, have dispersed over the echoing
forest, than the succeeding momenta of listening for an
answer.
You scarcely believed your ears to have been capable of
such exertion, if so it may be termed.
And then, when far away from over the hills and through
the dense fir•forests comes the booming answer of a bull-
moose, when you hear the distant crashing of branches and
the rattling the massive antlers against the trees, and when
at length the monarch of the American forest emerges
from the woods, and stands snorting and bellowing on the
open barren, his proportions looming gigantic through the
hazy atmosphere—then does the blood course through your
veins as it never did before; and, scarcely knowing what
is about to happen, you grasp the ready rifle, and crouch
in the protecting bushes.
In their first adventures, after many unsuc-
cessful efforts, the moose always scenting
them, the lieutenant and his Indian at last
hit off a good track:—

We turned into the woods, at nearly the same spot that
Williams and myself had done the day before, and soon
found the fresh track of au immense herd of moose.

The wind now blew steadily, and made melancholy music
among the branches of the lofty hemlocks through which
the chase led us, drowning the crackling of the frozen snow
under our moccasins. Still, our utmost caution was ne.
cessary, for the fine ear of the moose will, even in a gale of
wind, detect the snapping of the smallest twig, or any
noise foreign to the natural sounds of the forest, at a great
distance.
Now is the time to see the Indian in his element
and on his mettle. See how his eyes glisten, as he bends
down and scrutinises the tall, slender stem of a young
maple, the red, juicy top of which has been bitten off at the
height of some nine or ten feet front the ground. Now he
stops and fingers the track, crumbling the lumps of snow
dislodged by the huge foot, to tell the very minutes that
have elapsed since the animal stood 'here.
On we go, every foot stepping in the track of the leading
Indian, our arms employed in carefully drawing aside the
branches which impede our progress, and preventing the
barrels of our guns from noisy contact with the stems, or
boughs of the trees. The dense shrubbery of stunted
evergreens, through which we had been worming our way
for the last twenty minutes, appeared to be getting thinner,
and we were about to emerge into an open space, with
clumps of young hardwood interspersed through a lofty
grove of pines and hemlocks, when Williams suddenly
withdrew his foot from a step which would have exposed
him, and stepped belling a young spruce, his excited lace
beaming with delight as he beckoned we to advance.
There sto,xl, or reposed, the stupendous animals in every
variety of posture. Some were feeding, others standing
lazily chewing the cud, and flapping their broad ears, now
and then stooping to snatch a mouthful of the pure snow.
About fifty yards distant, in a clump of tall dead ferns and
briars, stood a huge bull, with a splendid coat. Levelling at
him, I discharged both barrels of my smooth bore, one at
and the other behind the shoulder. He dropped, and the
rest of the yard, discovering their foes, plunged off through
the bushes, knocking over the dead trees in their way as if
they had been ninepins.

An exciting chase follows, for the bull has yet
life enough in him to lead them a hard gallop
for some miles. But the most interesting
phase of moose-shooting ib " calling" the moose,

SATURDAY,

and hearing the noble beast crush through
bush and briar, grunting androariug in answer
to the call :

Paul commenced operations, by cautiously ascending a
tall spruce fir which stood a few yards from the camp,
and seated himself on a contorted oranch near the top.
Breaking off a dead bough with a loud suap, to imitate a
moose walking through thick cover, he applied the call to
his lips, and gave a ehort, low "
A Jew minutes' pause, and he broke two or three
branches in sharp succession, uttering another " cpioh "
louder than the first. Then drawing a long breath, he
commenced the plaintive cry, gradually increasing in in-
tensity and force, which the lonely cow-mouse is supposed
to utter to attract the attention of her consort.

Away went the call," reverberating through the stems
of the forest trees, and let% us restraining our breath and
listening for the slightest sound in return. Nothing came,
however, till a gust of wind, gathering in the distant hills,
came rushing on through the forest, making the tall pines
bend as it passed over us.

Suddenly Paul and I look at each other. We had both
heard it. I hear it again, and this time quite plain.
" Quoh, quob, quofh."
It is an answer. Paul at once drops his call into the
laurels, and rapidly descends the tree.
"How far is he off, Paul? How far is he off?"
whispered I, fumbling in my excitement for a fresh cap.
" Quite handy, not more than quarter•mile away. Come
here, and no move till I tell you," said the Indian, dragging
me quickly back to a clump of young spruces behind, in
which we crouched for shelter from the quick sight of the
wary brute.

We heard the twigs snap, and the rustling of his feet in
the laurels. He seemed to be making a detour. Suddenly
he uttered a roar, the counterpart of the sound uttered by
the moose I had wounded, and crashing through the
thicket, left us no hope of obtaining a shot at him.
liad job, Jim," said I.
" Oh, sarten. I 'most afraid when I hear urn first, he
would fix us. He come across our tracks, and started
when he smell um—very angry, very much disgust."

Besides moose-hunting, Lieutenant Hardy
enjoyed on his different tours some of the
finest salmon-fishing that could be desired. •
The numerous rivers and lakes swarm with
noble fish, which will take anything from the
finest silk-ily to a bit of red jersey, and afford
good sport. In these two volumes there is
no pretension to fine descriptive writing; it is
merely a plain, spirited record of sporting.ad-
ventures, very entertaining and well worthy
the attention of all sportsmen who desire some
fresher field than Europe can afford them. In
the woods and livers of Nova Scotia they will
find abundance of game, from the moose to
the beaver, and from the smelt to the salmon
of fifty pounds weight.. In seeking such sport
men become the unconscious pioneers of
civilisation ; while they enjoy their own
amusement they attract attention to the
country, and lay the foundation of settle-
ment, clearance, and cultivation. We have
only one tank to find with Mr. Hardy, and
that is, the want of a map. No sportsman,
traveller, or explorer should publish his ad-
ventures without a map ; for there is nothing
like a plan, no matter upon how rough a scale,
to give form and shape to ideas, and to extend
knowledge of the locality.

Lizzie Leigh, and other Tales. By the Authoress of
"Mary Barton." "Select Library of Fiction."
London : Chapman and Hall.

THE thirteenth volume of this admirably-selected
series includes several entertaining stories, by the
authoress of " Mary Barton," reprinted mostly from
Household Words. It forms altogether one of the
best and most amusing volumes of this series.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
BOOKS.

Sporting Adventures in the New World. Lieut. Campbell
Hardy. Hurst and Blacken.
The Shadow and the Substance. By a Clergyman of the
Church of England. Simpkin and Marshall.
Charles Worthington. Harry Singleside. Piper and Co.
Cross Purposes ; or, the Way of the World. A Novel,
Ward and Lock.
Notes on Modern Painting at Naples. Lord Napier.
J. W. Parker and Son
Dialogues on Universal Restitution. W. Freeman.
The Hidden Path. Sampson Low.
Williamite and Jacobite Wars in Ireland.

Lublin : W. M. Hennessy
Normans' Bridge. The Parlour Library. Hodgson.

PAMPHLETS.
How about Cronstadt ? By an Amateur.
Pretensions of Russia in the East. Iloulston and Co.

PERIODICALS.
The Irish Quarterly Review. Simpkin and Marshall.
Blackwood's Magazine. Blackwood.
Dublin Merasinc. Orr and Ca

SEPT. 29,1855.

'lt !zama.

COVENT GARDEN.—The Wizard of the North has,
we believe, obtained a lease of this house for the
winter months, during which period he will produce
a pantomime unequalled for tricks and startling
effects. His usual entertainments will of course pre-
cede the pantomime.
DRURY LANE.—The benefit of Miss Escott took
place on Thursday evening, upon which occasion
Lucia was performed. The fair beneficiaire sang
and played the part to perfection, and was rewarded
with loud and well-deserved applause. Mr. Elliot
Galer was an admirable Edgardo, and Mr. H. Braham
played Henry Ashton in an exceedingly creditable
manner. The opera was followed by Mr. Davies's
petite comedy, A Mcrniny Call, a short concert, and
Mr. Selby's burlesque on the Spanish Dancers. The
house was very fully attended, and the applause as
marked as it was well deserved. The operatic season
closes to-night, and on Monday the house reopens
with an original drama from the pen of Mr•. Fitzball.
A great deal of curiosity has been excited by the
announcement that it is an historical Egyptian
piece, and to be produced with every accessory of
scenic and decorative art. Miss Glyn, Mr. Barry
Sullivan, and Mr. Charles Mathews, are among the
artistes engaged. Mr. Robert Roxby is the stage,
and Mr. Charles Mathews the acting, manager under
the new regime.
SURREY TxuArat.—Yankee peculiarities have found
an efficient representative at this theatre in a Mr.
McVickar, who, in spite of the intolerable prosiness
and absurdity of the rest of the characters in the
farce in which he enacts the "comic man," manages
to keep his audience in a roar of laughter from
the moment he enters the scene to the moment be
leaves it. The play, Sam Patch, is below the level
of those generally concocted for an imitator of na-
tional peculiarities, and provokes the sensations of
fatigue even in the most tolerant of playgoers ; yet
Sam's Yankee impudence, intrusiveness, inquisitive.
ness, and sing-song nasalities are so cleverly repre-
sented by the actor, every tone and gesture being in
perfect keeping, that the ultimate and predominant
impression carried away is one of almost entire satis-
faction. We should be happy to see Mr. McVickar
engaged at some West-end theatre, and saved from
the vulgarising influences of a trans-Thamisian au-
dience: in the remote and uncivilised district near
the Elephant and Castle, the ultima thule of acces-
sible theatres, where people in the dress-boxes sit in
their hats and eat stall•fruit during the performance,
where porter displaces soda-water in the pit, and the
gallery displays its approbation by actual vivd-voce
imitations of a favorite actor, it is impossible but that
the critical faculties must be in quite a rudimentary
state. A representation of the first part of King Henry
the Fourth preceded the farce, and offered many
novel features to the observant hearer, several
highly curious new readings being presented, and a
very remarkable effect produced by the general sup
pression of all the aspirates in the play ; Falstaff, as
far as we remember, was the only character in which
due prominence was given to "poor letter H. Thus,
Hotspur and Prince Henry addressed each other as
"'A rry Monmouth" and "'Arry Percy"; and
Douglas, by way of compensation for leaving out one
letter, introduced another, and informed the audience
that "kings grew like 'ydria's 'eads." The fight
between Prince Henry and Hotspur was a fine spec►
men of the theatrical duel proper : the swords clashed
and clanged together as regularly as hammer and
anvil in a blacksmith's shop; and when, in the heat
and violence of the combat, showers of sparks were
beaten out by the industrious actors, the enthusiasm
of the audience rose to its highest pitch. Mr. Barry,
during the protracted agonies of his last moments,
went through contortions quite worthy of his name-
sake the clown ; and when his let.gthened sufferings
were happily brought to a close, and he fairly breathed
his last, it appeared to us, judging merely from the
symptoms, that his decease was rather due to the
effect of a powerful emetic, combined with a severe
attack of croup, than the result of a home-thrust
administered by the sure hand of the Prince of
Wales. The scenery was disgraceful. The famous
sun of the last act looked exactly like a huge red
wafer stuck into the middle of the horizon; and in
the last scene, the idea of filling a bridge at the back
of the stage with soldiers, to whomsoever due,
created a laughable effect—from the utter dispropor-
tion between the height of the men and that of the
bridge, they appeared to be contemplating the scene
from the parapet with their legs in the water, like
so many armed Garg.tntuas. Surely Mr. Creswick,
on whom the arrangement of details we suppose
devolves, and whose opinion, at least, would be of
some slight weight, should prevent these abstirdi-
ttas; if lie cannot correct inveterate faults of pro-
nunciation in the actors, he can at least exclude bad
scene painting and false effects of grouping from the
mice-en-scene.

ASTLEY'S.—A grand spectacle of the fall of Sebas-
topol was of course to be expected at Astley's, and

THE PRESS.

expectation has not been disappointed. On Monday
a melodramatic military spectacle, upon the model
of last year's Battle of Alma, was brought out with
every success, and with every prospect of being as
popular as its predecessor. By throwing the whole
of the pit and circle into a stage, a large space is ob-
tained for grouping the columns of infantry and
masses of troops ; and by keeping the soldiers per-
petually marching round, out one side and in the
other, the appearance of numbers is admirably sus-
tained, and the effect produced very striking. The
spectacle consists of a series of detached scenes
taxen from the actual events of the siege, while the
capture of the Malakoff of course forms the conclud-
ing tableau. But the interest of the piece does not
solely depend upon military effects; there is a charm-
ing domestic incident introduced by means of a vir-
tuous navvie who seeks his runaway daughter and
finds her at Balaklava the wife of a staff officer! The
usual amount of sorrow and sentiment, blessings and
forgiveness, is gone through, and the navvie conde-
scends to approve of his son-in-law instead cf
knocking his brains out with a pick. Among the
big wigs the French and English generals and Omer
Pacha are characteristically represented, and take
snuff and shake hands together in the most amiable
manner, while the Russian commandant is repre-
sented in the rather undignified position of a hen-
pecked husband. The whole of the tableaux are
admirably designed, particularly the general inspec-
tion of the troops in the second act ; while in the
concluding capture of the Malakoff there is enough
powder burnt to inflame the ardour of a less patriotic
audience than that of Astiers. On the whole, it is a
very successful "spectacle," and, unless superseded
by any more immediate victory of the allies, promises
well to retain its interest and attraction throughout
the autumn season.

POLYTECHNIC—MODEL or SEBAsTOPot.—There is
now exhibiting at these rooms one of the bestmodels
yet seen of Sebastopol. The scale is three inches to
the mile, just sufficiently extensive to give minute
ness of detail, and to show the superficial features of
a country with accurate truthfulness. The whole
plateau of Sebastopol and its adjacent heights are
included from Tchorgoun on the east to the Belbeck
on the north, and every battery, trench, ravine, fort,
and earthwork, allied or Russian, is given with
careful detail. Starting from the Quarantine inlet
and Battery, the eye takes in successively Kamiesch,
the Monastery of St. George, Balaklava (whence it fol-
lows the course of the railway), Kadikoi, the scene of
the memorable light cavalry charge, the advanced
positions of the British and Sardinians at Kamara
and Tchorgoun, the rivers Tschernaya and Chulin,
the Tractir-bridge and the ravine down which the
Russians came in their last attack, the Mackenzie-
road, winding along the precipitous sides of steep
hills and commanded by numerous batteries, the
Inkermann lights, and the Star Fort and its outworks.
The head-quarters of the two generals are marked by
their respective flags, and every division of the army,
French and English, is represented in its given
position. The massive earthworks on the north side,
the enormous Star Fort, and the formidable batteries
which command the steep, narrow road across the
Tschernaya to Mackenzie's Farm, are represented
with singular skill. The model has excited a great
deal of interest just now, and to Mr. Holman, the
modeller, every credit is due for the admirable skill
he has evinced. We believe it has been presented
to the Institution, and takes the place of the former
model of Sebastopol, which has been removed to
another room.

THE DUKE OF SAXE COBURG has arrived in Paris,
to he present at the production of his new opera,
Santa Chiara, which is to be brought out on the
most magnificent scale on Friday next at the Grand
Opera. A rehearsal took place on Wednesday night
before the Emperor and Court.
BIRDS ON THE SHOOTINGS IN SCOTLAND are still
numerous and strong, but are now turning very wild,
so that sportsmen in future are net likely to make
such heavy bags as in the earlier part. of the season.
The Banffshire deer-stalking has been carried on
very successfully.
THE new Sheriffs for London and Middlesex, Ald.
Kennedy and Ald. Rose, were yesterday introduced
to the Court of Aldermen, and took and subscribed
the customary oaths, Mr. Stone, the senior under•
sheriff, also taking the usual oaths for the due
administration of his office.

M. PIERRE Sorr.r., who made himself so extremely
obnoxious at Madrid when he represented the
American Republic at the Court of Spain, has, says
a Madrid letter of Sept. 21, met with a violent and
dreadful death. M. Soule has been shot. His
family had been kept as hostages in the town of
Zuluf, and after the place had been attacked by
Santa Cruz, this fearful act was accomplished.

ABD-EL-KkDER, and a numerous suite of Bedouin
chiefs, paid a visit on Tuesday to the machinery
department of the Universal Exhibition,