Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-06-26

Some Of the stories in the book which
Mr.. Cumming has published, are very curi-
Gus lie tells us that his servant once found
an ostrich's nest with twenty eggs. He
took eight OF them aud left twelve, intend
ing to get these another time but when the
ostrich came and discovered that some of
her eggs were gone, she broke every one of
the remainder, and tins he tells Us is the
custom Of the bird.
The author describes flight of ocusts
which he says resemblcG a fall OF large snow
flakes the noise of their wings filled the
air, like the summer breeze in a forest. At
another time, he saw flight in the air three
or four hundred feet high, which darkened
the sun like cloud, continuing in a steady
stream for half an hour One morning hav-
ing slept on the ground, he woke up, aud
found a serpent under his pillow lie often
saw n troop of wild dogs, banded together
like wolves, attacking the buhaloes, guues,
or other beasts. Hyenas, jackds, aud vul-
lures seemed to make perpetual feast up
on the animals that were wounded An j.
dea of the scenes witnessed by our author,
may be formed from the following extracts.
1t will be remembered that the writer was
lying in his huntlng-hole, III the remote will
derness, it beng a bright moonlight night
81 had not slept long, when my light
dreams were Influenced 10y strange sounds.
dreamed that hons were rushing about IN
quest of me, and the sounds increasing,
woke with sudden start, utterlng loud
shrek. | could not, for several seconds,
recolect in what part of the world was or
ANYTHING connected with my present posi-
ton heard the rushing of light feet, as
of pack of wolves, close on every side of
me, accompanied by the most unearthly
sounds On raising my head, TO my utter
horror, on every side saw nothing but saw
age wild dogs, chattering aud growing
On my right aud on my left aud within
few PAGES of me, stood two lines OF these
Notwithstanding animals, cooking their ears
and stretching their necks, to have d look at
me while two large troops, in which there
we're at leas, forty of them, kept dashing
backward and forward across my view, with
IN few Yards of me, chauering aud growl-
ing with the most extraordinary volubiity.
Another troop OF wild dogs were fighting
over the wild beast | had shot, which they
had begun to devour. On beholding them
| expected no other fate than to be Instantly
turn To pieces and consumed felt my blood
curdl,ng along my checks, aud my hair brls-
ding on my head However, had presence
of mind to consider that the human voice
and determined bearing might overcome
them, and accordingly springlng to my feet,
! stepped on the itte ledge surrounding the
hole, where drawing myself up TO my full
height, waved my large blanket with both
hands, at the same time addressing my saw
age assembly IN a loud aud solemn manner.
This had the desired effect; the wild dogs
removed TO a more respectful distance, bark
ing at me most furiously. Upon this,
snatched up my rifle, and commencing loa-
ding, and before tins was accomplished the
entire pack had passed away, and did not re-
turn"
The authors description Of the lion is
very interesting One of the most remark
able things" SAYS he, connected with this
animal is his yoice-which is extremely
grand and peculiarly striking It consists
at times O: low, deep moaning, repeated
five or SIX times, ending IA family audi
bic signs, at other tunes he startles the for
est with loud, deep-toued solemn roars, re-
peated five or six times IA quick success
sion, each increasing in loudn ess to the
third or fourth, when his voice dies away in
five or six low muiiled sounds, very much
resembling distant thunder At times, and
not unlrcquently, troop may be heard
roaring Ia concert, one assuming the lead,
aud two, three or four more, regularly taxi
ing up their parts, like persons singing
catch. Like our Scottish stays, they roar
louder in cold, frosty nights, but on no oc-
casIons are their voices 10 be heard IN such
perfection, or so intensely powerful, as when
two or three strange troops of lions APP
Iproach a fountain to drink AT the same time.
When this occurs, every member of each
troop sounds bold roar Of defiance 10 the
opposite parties aud when one roars, all
4 roar together, aud each seems to we with
his comrades, in the intensity and power
of his voice. The power ard grandeur Of
these nocturnal forest concerts Is Incon-
ceyabiy striking aud pleasing 10 the hun
ter's ear The effect, | may remark, IS
greatly enhanced when the nearer happens
to be situated IN the depths Of the forest, at
the dead hour OF midnight, unaccompanled
by any attendant, and ensconced within
twenty yards of the fountain which the sur
rounding troops OF lions are approaching
Such has been my situation many scores OF
times and though | am allowed to have a
tolerably good taste for music, Consider
the catches, with which was then RECALLED
as the sweetest and most natural eyef
heard"
1t will hardly do to devote more space to-
Mr. Cummings adventures with Wild bears,
his stories about roasted locusls, his hair
breadth escapes from lions, his battles with
hyenas, his chase OF sprIng-boks, haarte-
beestes, guus, aud giralies. The book at
lords US a wonderful picture of animal liie
in far-oG regions, hitherto unknown to CIV
ilized man The iruit of his adventures Is
ia part preserved in an immense collection
of curiosities deposited at the Chinese Gal
ery in London Herry's Museum.
How Cattle Kill Trees.
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