they had embedded themselves. At length, the carcass of a sheep was thrown into the water just above where the smallest alligator lay. The voracious creature immediately rose and seized it; which it had no sooner done than its companion appeared on the surface, and with the swiftness of a shaft rushed towards its rival to participate in the tempting banquet, the turbid element dividing before it as if ploughed with the keel of a ship. In a moment both sank, and for some time the water was much disturbed, the black mud rising in considerable quantities, and an occasional splashing sufficiently attested the severity of the struggle that was taking place below. After a while one of the combatants appeared with a portion of the sheep in its jaws, which, having devoured, it again sank, and the struggle was evidently renewed. In a short time the water was strongly tinged with blood, the mud continued to rise and the splashing increased. The anxiety of the spectators was excited to the highest pitch, when both competitors rose at different parts of the tank as if the contest had been terminated by mutual consent. The smaller alligator had a frightful gash in its throat, and the fore leg of the larger seemed to be extensively lacerated. They both tinged the water as they swam: nevertheless, their wounds did not appear to cause either of them much suffering or inconvenience. They did not attempt further hostility. The carcass of a second sheep, in a tempting state of decomposition-for these creatures prefer putrid carrion to any other-was thrown into the tank, and the struggle for supremacy renewed. It however, did not last so long as the former; each having obtained a share of the prey, which divided at the slightest touch, the contest soon subsided, and both rose once more to the surface without any further appearance of injury. Their bodies appeared less lank; it was, therefore, evident that each had received a portion of the two carcasses thrown between them, like the apple of discord in classic story. On the following day, the alligators which had already contributed to the support of a numerous assemblage of unpitying spectators, were caught for the purpose of opposing them to foes of a different species from any they had been accustomed to encounter. They were brought into a large enclosure, within which was a cage containing a fine leopard. The gash in the throat of the smaller alligator had, it was now sufficiently apparent, greatly weakened it. The animal appeared apathe. tic, and did not promise much diversion to the anxious beholders. The creatures were removed from the tank to the arena on a platform raised upon wheels and drawn by three bullocks. When rolled from the carriage both appeared almost inert, and especially the smaller one, which every now and then opened its huge mouth and gasped, manifestly suffering from the conflict of the preceding day. The leopard, as soon as it saw them, crouched upon its belly, as if conscious what it was about to be called upon to perform: when, however, the door of the cage was opened, which was done by a man in a sort of gallery above by means of a cord attached to the upper bar, the animal did not seem disposed to try the issue of a combat with antagonists at all times formidable, and in their own element invincible. A pole being at length introduced, the leopard was irritated by being severely poked; and, with a sudden spring, bounded into the enclosure. The alligators appeared to look upon the scene with perfect indifference, remaining all but motionless on the spot where they

had been cast from the platform. Their tails were occasionally seen to vibrate slightly, and especially when their brindled enemy appeared before them in a threatening attitude of attack. The leopard paused for some time with its head upon its paws, waving its tail to and fro, the fur being erected and the ears depressed, as if anxious but fearful to begin the encounter. At length, two or three crackers being flung just behind it, these had no sooner exploded than the terrified and enraged animal darted forward, and springing upon the nearest alligator, turned it over in an instant, and burying its fangs in the throat of its victim, almost immediately dispatched it, the helpless reptile appearing not to offer the slightest resistance. Finding that it had so easily vanquished its weakest enemy, the leopard, excited by the taste of blood, having been kept without food for the three previous days, sprang upon its surviving foe, but with a very different result. The alligator, suddenly shifting its head, the brindled champion missed its spring; when the roused foe meeting it as it turned, made a sudden snap at its head, which it took entire within its capacious jaws, and crushed so severely that, when released, the leopard rolled over and died after a few struggles. The victor was now attacked by a man armed with a long spear, with which he dispatched it after a feeble resistance. Thus ended this barbarous pastime.

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Upon another occasion I witnessed at one of these sanguinary exhibitions, a contest between a buffalo and a tiger. The buffalo was extremely fierce, and one of the largest of its kind I had ever seen. It commenced the attack by rushing towards its adversary, which retreated to a corner of the arena, where, finding no escape, it sprang upon the buffalo's neck, fixing its claws on the animal's shoulder, and lacerating it in a very frightful manner. It was, however, almost instantly flung upon the earth with a violence that completely stunned it, when there appeared a ghastly wound in the belly, inflicted by its antagonist's horn, from which the bowels protuded. The conqueror now began to gore and trample upon its prostrate enemy, which it soon dispatched, and then galloped round the enclosure, streaming with blood, the foam dropping from its jaws, its eyes glancing fire, occasionally stopping, pawing the ground, and roaring with maddened fury. A small rhinoceros was next introduced, which stood at the extremity of the arena, eyeing its foe with an oblique but animated glance, though without the slightest appearance of excitement. The buffalo having described a circuit from the centre of the ground, plunged forward towards the rhinoceros, with its head to the earth, its eyes appeared as if about to start from their sockets. Its wary antagonist turned to avoid the shock of this furious charge, and just grazed the flank of the buffalo with its horn, ploughing up the skin, but doing no serious mischief. It now champed and snorted like a wild hog, and its eyes began to twinkle with evident expressions of anger. The buffalo repeated the charge, one of its horns coming in contact with its adversary's shoulder; which, however, was protected by so thick a mail that it produced no visible impression. The rhinoceros, the moment it was struck, plunged its horn with wonderful activity and strength into the buffalo's side, crushing the ribs and penetrating to the vitals; it then lifted the gored. body from the ground and flung it to the distance of several feet, where the mangled animal almost immediately breathed its last. The victor VOL. III. (1837) NO. III.

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remained stationary, eyeing his motionless victim with a look of stern indifference, but the door of his den being opened, he trotted into it, and began munching some cakes which had been thrown to him as a reward for his conduct in so unequal a contest."

The "Forget Me Not" has always been a general favourite, and is, we think, as deserving of commendation as ever. Some of the illustrations are wonderfully beautiful and fine. "La Sevillana," engraved by Thompson from a drawing by Sir T. Lawrence, is of this choice number; and so are "Rosanna," and others that might be named. The "Cloisters of Santo Paolo, Rome," from a picture by Prout, and engraved by Carter, brings us within the solemn shade and imposing strength of magnificent pillars and age-enduring

columns.

The letter-press matter is good and varied, at the same time that it is exceedingly well situated and chosen for a pretty volume of the kind. The prose pieces may all be pronounced clever at least, and the poetry exhibits several specimens of great liveliness of fancy, and in some instances of depth and power. Of the latter superior order, Mary Howitt's ballad, called "The Rich and Poor," may be presumed to form a prominent example; but as we have already drawn upon her effusions, and as the ballad is too long for our vacant space, we shall have recourse to two contributions, both of which are also from the pens of female writers. The first is by Mrs. Sigourney, and is called "The American Indians."

"I heard the forests as they cried
Unto the valleys green,

Where is that red-browed hunter-race
Who loved our leafy screen?
They humbled 'mid these dewy glades
The red-deer's antlered crown,

Or soaring at his highest noon

Struck the strong eagle down.'

Then, in zephyr's voice, replied
Those vales so meekly blest,
They reared their dwellings on our side,
Their corn upon our breast;
A blight came down, a blast swept by,
The cone-roofed cabins fell;
And where that exiled people fled
It is not ours to tell."

Niagara, of the mountains grey,
Demanded from his throne,
And old Ontario's billowy lake

Prolonged the thunder-tone,

Those chieftains at our side who stood

Upon our christening day,

Her many sisters dear,

Show me, once more, those stately forms,
Within my mirror clear.'

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But they replied, Tall barks of pride,

Do cleave our waters blue,

And strange keels ride our farthest tide,
But where's their light canoe?'
The farmer drove his plowshare deep
• Whose bones are these?' said he ;
I find them where my browsing sheep
Roam o'er the upland lea :'

But starting sudden to his path
A phantom seemed to glide,
A plume of feathers on his head,
A quiver at his side.

He pointed to the rifle grave,

Then raised his hand on high,

And with a hollow groan invoked
The vengeance of the sky:

O'er the broad realm, so long his own,

Gazed with despairing ray,

Then on the mist, that slowly curled,

Fled mournfully away.

The other is part of a "Song of Dreams," by Miss M. A. Browne, in which great playfulness of fancy is displayed, both in the metre and the thought.

"In the rosy glow of the evening's cloud,

In the twilight's gloom,

Hues more beautiful than we bring

From her lip and her cheek, for each wandering wing

To keep.

And near his bed,

And we watch his anxious heart's unrest;
And in mockery tread

With a seeming heavy step about;

And laugh when we hear his frightened shout
Of dread,

Lest the gnomes who once o'er his gold did reign,
To his hoards, to claim it back again,

Have sped.

"Gems of Beauty" requires a much longer notice than, we find, we have left ourselves room to introduce this month. In one sense we are not sorry for this, because it is a work possessing such rare charms both of art and poesy as entitle it to stand by itself. The Publishers after a season of unusual dulness have begun to stir themselves so actively, that a number of works which have lately come to hand must stand over, and await our next number; and as in all probability its contents will be of a graver character than many of those which appear this month, or at least will comprise fewer works of fiction, the "Gems of Beauty" will consequently obtain a setting that must afford it all the advantage of strong relief and contrast. In the meanwhile let all the readers of the Monthly Review take our simple word for it, that if they are nice and tasteful in the matter of drawing-room embellishment, one guinea and a half can never be more satisfactorily expended than in purchasing this imperial quarto volume. Parris's engravings of the Passions, and the Countess's illustration, will continue always to be admired amongst the costliest decorations and the loveliest triumphs of the Muses that the amateur can select.