Star.
London, England, 1828-10-13 00:00:00

FALCONRY.

The Duke of St. Alban's, Hereditary Grand IFaleaner
of England, gave a gland day of falconry, at Red-
bourne, an Wednesday last. Ainong the pray who
were invited to partake of the entertathment, were the
Mayer,. Aldermen, Vivo 'Clerk, Sheriffs, and. Coroners,
of the county of Lincoln, tbe neighbouring Gentry, and
the tenants of his Grace. At the summit of the old

arch at the lodge, a green flat Sias hoisted, bearing the
inscription of " St. Allaan'i," surmounted by the arms
and coronet. On the east of the mansion, and on the'
left of the road leading to the stables ad outhouses,
were placed the feathered vassals of the Noble Duke,
consisting of eight fine falcons; they were each chained
to a sectioa of a cone of wood, about IS inches in height
and 10 joshes in diameter at the base. They were en-
hooded, btif belled, and mostly sat at the top of their
posts. Six of these were taken for the sports of the
day, the others being left to do garrison duty..
About 100 of the-Duke's tenants assembled on horse-
back in front of the Hall, headed by the Ste Ward, and
beating green favours (the hunter', immemorial ielotsr).
The HereditaryOrand Falconer himself appeared dre led
io the official costuthe of his post, consisting of green
jacket, golden girdle, and gauntlets magnificently
trimmed, Spanish hat turned up before, with a large
white feather, buskins, and gold sphrs.. His Lordship
was mounted on a fine chestnut bunter, sat firm in. his
seat, and rode with the'graci of an accomplished horse.,
man. The Duchess, the Wks Beauclerk, and other
Ladies, came on the gronrsdie open. carriages and four.
They were-splendidly dressed in Lincoln green and
scarlet shawls. The coMpany having proceeded to the
ground, the falconry eipinutratted.
Ist Flight.—A OAF having pointed, a hawk was tin-.
hooded and. loosed; it rose with all the grace of free-
dom into its native eleinent; wheeling over the heads
of the party as though surveyingtheoperations—sweep.
ing to the right.and to the left—now flung into midair I
in the distance, and now attentive- to the hawker's call,
gradually contracting its range of flight, and narrow-
ing its circles; descending. suddenly to the surface
of the earth, and then rising again with equal ab.
ruptuess. The .partridge was flashed, and flew with
the wind towards the company; the hawk marked
it with apparent unconcern, and as though little dis-
posed to take the same direction, yet, without exactly
pursuing any track. he gradually neared it to within e
certain distance, when bosuildenly crossed on the bird's
line of flight, and seising it at a height of SO. or 40
yards, absolutely bore -it-in his beak, bleeding and
screaming, over the heads of the company, and carrying
it down into.the belt of. a plantation adjoining the toad.
The numerous Company (00 *perhaps in number) were
equally astonished and sdelighted 'with the singularity
and the effect of such, le bOld and bevel action. -The
hawker brought the bird, which was quite dead, to the
cartilage of the Duchess, with the hawk on his band,
pecking thp bleeding heactswith its powerful bills, It
was ascertained to be- "lavourite hawk."
2d Flight.--ASsoon as the hawk was loosed, the
wind carried it with great violence to the east; and
though the hawker exerted his utmost endeavours, the
sound of .his call did not: appear to reach the bird,
which kept wheeling in large circles and .making for
the east and north-east ahem**. At length it &oiled
the road at a distance, and flew off altnoat tangos;
for the woods to theieft of the company. liiissAil;
galloped after it with some " drawerin or lures
tached to his girdle ; and cleated several facesirt*
boldest style. .111skralifelbanid by a number. dishes]
horsemen; and thoogh they came- op -withit *gala! Al
changed its course, and got off out of all cheneitif beef
taken. A considerable time was spent in the pursuit,
which at length was given up. From the bells•at-
tached to its legs (on Whist- the Duke's name is ea
graved), it will be readily detected and tecoguiaed,tai
the serf of the Grand Falconer. • ,
Sd Flight—Though it was evident, from the state of
the wind, that
.)here Was great danger of losing the
hawks by persisting in the spert.-bis Grace ordered.a
third hawk to be tried. A loje4l,was flushed, on vtliA,
it darted almost immediately, and kilkdin fine style;
a second bird arose, and made direct- across the large
field for the company. The hawk was at a considerable
distance, but hose obliquely, on the• same line: there'
was the fullest conviction that the bird would escape:'
When about half across the field, the hawk being at a
height of 20 yards above the porridge, flew rapidly, as
though for passing over it.when it descended in a sudden
swoop, curving down with great fOree, and striking the
bird, which bad lowered itself, with suriolence that made
it roll over several tunes as it tell on the ground, about
twenty yards from the coinpiny. Yetiha point of coq.
tact was not visible to the eye.; the snaiop, When it pap
struck-could mot be traced; you only saw effect. Zie
hawk ruse again, and crossed the road; but scon re.
turned over the spot vrlterithe bird lay trembling ; the.
partridge again rose, and sips cheered by.the company
as it crossed just over their heads, and flew down a lane ;
the hawk followed it as thou' indolently ; but soon made
a second dart. striking the partridge 'with violence into,
the ditch ; and thus killing both its birds:lA good style.
From the high stmecf the wind, it was not deemed
prudent to bawd "the hawks thrther. as the sport alma.
gefher was Only a trial Of .-them. Such, however,; was
the sport, that if has, affnriled a. most interesting 041
man of the old game. But the hawk ! it would puzzle alt
the philottiphers of the lioildth account fit its action 'by'
any of the known laws 4 motion, or the principles of ma'
chanie power. You frequently see it' elevate, deptess, 0(7
crease, or retard its eight.at pleasure, without any vials,
action of the pinion, as though its motion were the
result of volition, or of some electricalepower, tie opt-.
ration of which is bidden from human scrutiny. . Had
the last bird not been struck: the first time, it woOldbere*
flown into the arms of the crowd, overcoming ittdread
of man in the presentee of si superior" and more terrible
enemy. It was instinct of fear, from the moment itartsie
witbin the sight of the hawk,• and flew cowering and
fluttering, as though conscious of the destiny which it
could not escape. .
At the termination of the hawking, the company
were entertained by. the Duke and Duchess with a most
sumptuous banquet. and a splendid exhibition of (Fe-
works concluded the amusements.

; •
Great preparations are Taking at Laleham for the
reception of her Majesty the Queen of Possiosc, whois expected
to take possession end make it her residence some dowdily week.
DaZADIUL CAXASTROPHS ♦r NZW °ILEA ass--Thz
steam boat Grampus was towing font .vessels up
the river, ,when bet boiler burst with a tremendous ex-
plosion,'and mit of tbirteen persons who were on board
'in different parts of the, ves+el, killed eight instantly.
The whole of the boilers aadevyrythlog over them were
blown into the sin The Captain and a passenger were
sluing afar the wheel, and were both thrown down and
wounded, box not dangerously. Of the three survivors
of the crew, two were dreadfully scalded, and one had
his arm broke. The four vessels sbe was towing Were
all limb damaged, one of them, whicheres neat the
-steamer, bad ter mast cue away; moisten were lying
is her fore Much, one was killed and blows into the
sea, the other was badly scalded.

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