LIFE IN THE EAST. [Tiger-hunting.] THE hunting of the common tiger is a favourite sport in countries where they abound. We owe to the pen of Bishop Heber the following description of a scene, of which he was an eyewitness : "The young rajah, Gourman Singh, a border chieftain, whose father had been the sovereign of all Kemaoon, till driven to take shelter within the company's borders, having called to pay his respects to the bishop, during his stay at Kulleanpoor, mentioned that a tiger, in an adjoining wood, had done a good deal of mischief and that it would be fine diversion for the bishop, and Mr. Boulderson, the collector of the district. The bishop assured him that he was no sportsman; but the collector's eyes sparkled at the name of a tiger, and he expressed great anxiety to go in search of him that very afternoon. The bishop, therefore, not liking to deprive him of his sport, went with the intention of being a mere spectator. marshy ground, and while Mr. Boulderson was doubting whether they should pass through, or skirt it round, some country-people came running to say that the tiger had been tracked there this morning. They accordingly proceeded to the spot. It was a novel and stirring scene. The attendants were all eagerness and animation; they looked earnestly for every waving of the jungle grass, while the continual calling and shouting of both horse and foot excited an indescribable feeling of interest and surprise. The grass grew so wild, and rose so high, that it reached up to the howdah of the tallest elephant, and almost hid the Rajah's entirely. In the distance appeared, what might have been taken for clouds, had not their base been stationary, and their outline so harsh and pyramidical, the glorious range of the Himalaya mountains, the patriarchs of the continent, white and glistening as alabaster, and seen even at the distance of probably one hundred and fifty miles, towering above the nearest and secondary range, as "The party set out on their elephants, with a much as these, which are said to be seven thousand servant behind each seat, or howdah, carrying a six hundred feet high, lifted their giant buttresses large hunting tiger, which, however, was almost above the plain on which the hunting party were needless. A number of people, on foot and horse-assembled. It was impossible to gaze upon them back, attended from the bishop's camp, and neighbouring villages; and the same sort of interest was excited as in England by a large hunting party. The rajah was seated in a low howdah, with two or three guns ranged beside him, ready for action; his elephant was the smallest of the party, hardly larger "At last, the elephants all threw up their trunks than a Durham ox, and almost as shaggy as a poodle; into the air, began to roar, and to stamp violently she was the native of a neighbouring wood, where with their fore feet; the rajah's little elephant turned her race was generally smaller than those of Bengal short round, and, in spite of all her mohaut could and Cittagong. Mr. Boulderson had also a formi- say or do, she posted herself, to the rajah's great dable apparatus of muskets and fowling-pieces, pro- annoyance, close in the rear of the collector's. The jecting over his mohaut or driver's head. Thus other three, for one of the baggage elephants had equipped, they proceeded about two miles across a come out, went on slowly, but boldly, with their plain, covered with long jungle grass, from out of trunks raised, their ears expanded, and their sagawhich quails and wild fowls rose in great numbers, cious little eyes bent intently forward. and beautiful antelopes were seen scudding away in all directions. "At length, the party came to a deeper and more without a feeling of delight and awe: but in a few moments, the clouds closed round, as on the fairy castle of St. John, and left a cold gray horizon, encircling the green plain, and broken only by scattered tufts of peepul and mango trees. We are close upon him,' said Mr. Boulderson; fire where you see the long grass shake, if he rises before you.' Just at that moment, the bishop's elephant stamped most violently. There, there!' cried the mohaut. | In 1820, when archeologists were attempting most I saw his head; a short roar, or rather a short growl, zealously to avail themselves of the protection granted followed, and the motion of some animal was seen to them by the pacha of Egypt, Mehemed Ali, stealing away through the grass. I fired as directed," Messrs. Saulnier and Lelorrain, conceived the procontinued the bishop, "and a moment after, seeing ject of bringing this circular zodiack to France. At the motion still more plainly, fired a second barrel. the commencement of October in the same year, M. Another short growl followed, the motion quickened, Lelorrain embarked for Alexandria, taking with him and was soon lost in the more distant jungle. Mr. saws, chisels, vices, and other instruments which Boulderson said, 'I should not wonder if you had mght be necessary for its removal; also a carriage hit him that last time; at any rate we shall drive of a new construction. On his arrival at Cairo, he him out of the cover, and then I will take care of presented himself to Mehemed Ali, and pretending him.' At that moment, the attendant crowd of horse that he wished to visit the antiquities of Upper and foot began to run off in all directions. We Egypt, obtained from him a letter of introduction to hastened to the place, but found that the alarm was Achmed Pacha, the governour of upper Egypt, and a false one; in fact, we had seen all that we were also a firman in the Turkish language, commanding to see of the tiger, though we went twice more the governours and other officers of the province, to through the jungle. A large extent of high grass aid and protect him. stretched out in one direction, but this we had not now sufficient daylight to explore. Whether the animal so near me was really a tiger," adds the narrator, "I have no evidence but its growl, the collector's opinion, the assertion of the mohaut, and the alarm expressed by the elephants." In reply to Bishop Heber's inquiry of the collector if tiger-hunting was generally of the same kind, he was informed by that gentleman, that except when under very peculiar circumstances, or when a tiger felt himself severely wounded, and was roused to revenge, his aim was to remain concealed, and to make off as quietly as possible. It was after he had broken cover, or when at bay, that the serious part of the affray commenced. He then sprung out to meet his enemy, open-mouthed, like the boldest of all animals, a mastiff-dog, and was shot with little trouble; but, if missed, or only slightly wounded, he was truly formidable. To which we may add, from the same authority, that, though not swift of foot he can leap with amazing strength and violence; and that his large head, immense paws, and the great weight of his body in front, often enable him to spring on the head of the largest elephant, and pull him to the ground. When a tiger attacks one of these huge creatures, the latter is generally able to shake him off; and then wo be to him! the elephant either kneels and crushes him at once, or gives him a kick which breaks half his ribs, and sends him flying, perhaps twenty paces. But a large old tiger sometimes clings too fast to be so dealt with, and the elephant is dreadfully torn: thus circumstanced, it often happens that the elephant himself falls, either from pain, or with the hope of rolling on his enemy; and the riders are then in considerable danger, both from friends and foes. Moreover, the scratch of this fierce creature is occasionally attended with inflammatory symptoms, though this rarely happens; and, in general, both wounded men and animals soon recover. [For the Family Magazine.] CIRCULAR ZODIACK OF DENDERAH. THE zodiack of Denderah, sculptured in one of the upper buildings of the temple of Denderah, was first commended to the notice of scientifick men, by General Desaix; M. Denon who accompanied the expedition to Egypt, made drawings of it, and this remnant of antiquity soon became the subject of dispute. On this, M. Lelorrain chartered a vessel, and left Cairo on the 12th of February with an interpreter and a janissary of the pacha's guard to take care of his effects. After a voyage of a month, he arrived at Denderah, and was kindly received. Denderah is an Arabian village, on the west bank of the Nile, 420 miles from Cairo and 60 miles from Thebes. The ruins of the ancient Tentyra, formerly one of the largest cities of Egypt, are about a mile and half distant from this village; and it is in the ruins of the great temple, formerly dedicated to Isis, that the circular zodiack was found. After making a short excursion to Thebes, to avoid the notice of some English travellers who were then sketching on the spot, M. Lelorrain returned, and on the 18th of April, began to chisel off the planisphere; it was supposed from the drawings published in France, that the whole was carved on one block, but this was found to be an errour; for the monument occupied one stone, and a quarter of another, as is seen in our plate of it. A scaffolding was now erected; the workmen proceeded to cut the stone with chisels, and in twenty-four days the zodiack was removed from its place on the wall. The transportation of it, for the distance of six miles to the Nile, was extremely difficult, on account of the ruined monuments, and the inequalities of the ground: but this was accomplished in sixteen days. On the 18th of July, 1821, the zodiack was embarked at Alexandria, and in January, 1822, the two stones were at Paris. It was then purchased by the French government, and placed in the royal library. The planisphere of Denderah, is a large circle described in a square: its diameter is seven feet nine inches; the diameter of the smaller circle is four feet nine inches. As we have already stated, and as is seen in the engraving, the monument consists of two parts; on one stone is carved three quarters of it, on another the remaining fourth. Near the centre of the inner circle, the twelve constellations of the zodiack are arranged in nearly a circle. Within are the northern constellations, among which the Ursa major is easily distinguished, it being placed directly in the centre of the planisphere. This constellation, according to Plutarch, was called the star of Typhon, and we find in its place a monstrous animal, with the head and body of a hippopotamus, an animal consecrated to Typhon. The other northern constellations, nineteen in number, have but little similarity in form to those represented in our spheres. Five other constellations are situated A COMPARISON OF SPEED. A FRENCH Scientifick journal states that the ordinary rate is per second :Of a man walking : in the centre of the signs of the zodiack, and exactly | posite angles, one on the right, the other on the left, on the same line. Of the inferiour constellations, of the diagonal. In the angles we see also other fourteen are placed in the field of the planisphere, marks, the signification of which is unknown. directly below the constellations of the zodiack. The most remarkable zodiacks beside that of The others, thirty-seven in number, are all on the Denderah, are those of the great temple of Esne extreme edge of the internal circle, the head turned and that of Palmyra. to the centre. All the figures proceed in the same direction, and describe circles which enlarge from the centre to the circumference, so that the pole is easily seen. The thirty-seven constellations which surround the planisphere, are all attended with a certain number of hieroglyphicks, which doubtless contain their names. The whole circle is supported by twelve figures, which are situated at the eight principal points of the circumference, while the arms are extended, as if to support the planisphere. At the angles of the square stand four females, and at each of the intermediate points, we see a group of men, with the faces of frogs. A large circular band, which is entirely filled with hieroglyphicks, extends into the corners. They are situated at the two op Of a good horse in harness 4 feet. 12 Of a raindeer in a sledge on the ice 26 Of a good-sailing ship Of sound Of a 24-pounder cannon-ball 43 88 - 19 82 1038 1300 1300 [For the Family Magazine.] THE KIRGHIZA COSSACKS. AMONG the different Asiatick tribes which Russia has brought into subjection, either by force of arms or by political tact, there is no one which is more numerous, or which occupies a larger extent of country, than the tribe of the Kirghiza Cossacks. The immense uncultivated wild steppes where these people live, are bounded on the north, by the desert of Siberia, west by the sea of Aral, and partly by the Caspian sea, south by the country of the Turcomans, the Kheivars and the Boukhares, and east by the fortified frontiers of the Chinese empire. The Kirghiza Cossacks are divided into three hordes called the great, the middle, and the small horde. All these hordes, however, do not acknowledge the power of Russia. The Kirghiza Cossacks have always been passionately fond of liberty, and have been brought into subjection partly by the Russians, and partly by the Chinese, only by internal discord, or by superiority of numbers. But if there is the least prospect of obtaining their freedom, they rise under the yoke and enjoy for a time their independence, to become again subjected to their old or to new masters. Hence it is difficult to designate with certainty, the number of Cossacks under the yoke of Russia, or the degree of influence exercised over them. We only know that most of the smaller and middle hordes belong nominally to Russia, and the great horde is partly under the dominion of the Chinese. It is also notorious that all the efforts of Russia to induce them to lead an agricultural life have been unsuccessful. The manners and customs of all nomadian people are very similar. We always see in them the same mixture of simple barbarism, and the same energetick love of liberty, which in them frequently takes the place of civilization. The horse is the inseparable companion of the Kirghiza Cossacks. The flesh serves him for nourishment: his skin cevers the tent which protects him from summer's heat and winter's cold. One event alone has an influence on the life of the Cossack: death seems to interrupt for a moment their wandering propensities, for although they have no houses, nor cities, yet they have mausolea and cemeteries. They despise the arts of industry during life, but do homage to them at their last hours. When a Kirghiza Cossack has breathed his last, all the females give themselves up to the extreme of despair. They groan, cry, tear their hair, beat their breasts and faces, and recite the virtues of him whose loss they mourn. This ceremony generally continues for a long time, and is frequently renewed every morning and evening for a year: the body is then represented by the trunk of a tree, upon which are placed the garments of the deceased. When the body is washed, dressed, and wrapped in a shroud, it is carried to the cemetery and laid in a grave, together with the arms of the deceased and the saddle, bridle, &c., of his horse. Among some tribes the horse is killed and his flesh eaten, while the bones are mingled with the mortal remains of the Cossack. er are a saddle and bridle; the tomb of a child is surmounted by a cradle. The habits of life or the age of the deceased is always indicated by some symbolical ornaments. A tree is generally planted over cach tomb and if it thrives, the dead man is counted among the happy inhabitants of that paradise promised to the faithful by Mahomet. These cemeteries and the banks of some rivers, Having bid a last adieu to the dead, the whole form the only ornament of these vast and melancompany set down to an abundant repast; and a choly countries. The ruins of great cities and of bluish flag is hoisted over the tent in token of mourn- sumptuous palaces, however prove clearly that this ing. The funeral respects are always at the ex- region was formerly inhabited by enlightened peopense of the parents or heirs and must be propor-ple, and that civilization has been banished from it. tional to the riches and rank of the deceased; otherwise the host exposes himself to the contempt of the guests. A traveller Rubruquis who was present at the funeral of the khan of the small horde, asserts that there were consumed two thousand five hundred sheep, two hundred horses, and more than five hundred measures of koumis, a fermented drink, made from fermented mare's milk. A merchant of Boukhara, distinguished for his science among all the people of this country, stated to a traveler that the borders of the river Syr David and of the sea of Aral were once so thickly populated, that a cat could go from Turkestan to Theiva without touching the ground, by leaping from one roof to another. Bones of Fish.-Teeth supposed to be those of the shark, from an inch to an inch and a half long, slender and very sharp, have been found in the midst of the prairies of Alabama. Portions of the vertebre of fish have boon met with in the same The view of a cemetery of the Kirghiza Cossacks is very pleasing. Fatigued with the dull monotony of the steppes, the eye rests with pleasure on trees, pyramids, turrets, and other monuments of these cities of the dead. From one tomb the bow and arrows of the deceased are suspended; on anoth-region. VOL. IV.-18 |