and could march no longer. They were then harangued and reprimanded, but nothing could persuade them, and the bakers and butchers had to take their muskets and cartridge boxes, and the march was resumed amidst considerable disorder, even the most garrulous not opening their mouths except to mutter curses on the savants, on whom they threw the blame of the expedition.

But murmurs arose anew again, when one of them happened to say, "Perhaps we have passed Wardan, and are about to fall into the hands of the Mamelukes." "We have been marching more than four hours," said another. "We must return to the camp," cried a third. So a halt was again made, and the disorder became general. The observation of the first person who had spoken having appeared just, the adjutant-general yielded to these clamours, and placed outposts to protect the halt. After a lengthened conference it was resolved to yield to the wishes of the majority, and the adjutant-general consented to return to the camp. But scarcely were they in motion on their return when the baggage men had seized two Arabs who were perfectly naked, and were probably robbers. The interpreters having promised them their lives if they would conduct the party to Wardan, they swore that they would do so. At last, having marched a short way, they arrived at Wardan, which they had not passed, and which was not precisely on the bank of the river; and thus ended their apprehensions for the time being.

At Wardan Bonaparte, informed that Morad Bey awaited him at Embabieh, opposite Cairo, with a considerable force of Mamelukes, and had entrenched himself there, with artillery in position, he halted and concentrated his army; and, General Zayoncheck having taken up a position at the point of the Delta, or Cow's chest as it is called, he prepared for a serious engagement, and at length on the 20th of July the Pyramids gradually rose out of the southern horizon.

SHOOTING IN PIEDMONT.

Ir is a bright morning in September, but the air is cooled by the breeze wafted down to us from the snowy peak of Monte Viso, which rises high in the distance against the clear blue sky. I have just arrived at the railway station of Caneo from Turin, and, entering the colonel's carriage, which is waiting for me, go rapidly up the sloping road leading to the town, accompanied by the loud cracking of our shortjacketed picturesque-looking postilion's whip, and an occasional blast from the chasseur's horn rousing the ragged gamins who are dozing in the sunshine (for it is a fête day, which they are enjoying after their own manner) and so we dash into the long, curious, arcaded street of Caneo.

Now, before going any further, I think I had better tell something about this picturesque old town which we have just entered with such éclat. It is at the foot of the maritime Alps, on a sort of knoll surrounded by the Stourà, a mountain torrent, which, before arriving at

the town, however, splits into two branches, which, reuniting below the knoll on which it stands, form a sort of island. The town is split into two equal parts by a long, straight, main street, bordered on each side by arcades; and, from a little distance, no prettier sight can be seen than the old town of Caneo, with its picturesque square towers and immense houses defined against the blue background of the mountains, which form an amphitheatre in rear, and with the Stourà running below in the deep bed it has cut for itself through the soft gravelly soil. About the centre of the main street, the pillars of the arcade are marked with French cannon-shot, and in the second story of a house, a few yards lower down, is an unexploded shell, which still remains fixed in the exterior wall, with an inscription below it, announcing to the curious that this shell was fired against the town by the French in 1792.

We took up our quarters at the Albergo dei tre Re, and, having filled our powder-flasks and furbished up our sporting accoutrements, I proceeded to the Dogona to furnish myself with a shooting licence-a "permissione di caccia"-and was there seated in a chair while a sharp-looking employé took my portrait-that is to say, inscribed a minute description of my personal appearance on the "permissione ;" and, having thus made all necessary preparations, determined to enter in campaign on the morrow against the game on the banks of the Stourà.

It is five in the morning. I am roused most unwillingly (for I hate getting up at such unearthly hours). An old man with a white beard, clad in coarse fustian, a double-barrelled gun of most antique workmanship slung over his shoulders, and a brown, conical, banditlooking hat on his head, is shaking me violently, and informing me that it is "cinque bott,"-which being interpreted means five o'clock-and that I must start immediately, as Il Signior Marchese P expects us at six at his country-house, from which our shooting is to commence. This curious apparition is old Miché, the caçadore, or sportsman; so, having hastily dressed, I sally forth followed by Miché and his most lean and subdued-looking dog, who answers to the name of Badé, and seems to be pointer, spaniel, retriever, with a touch of the cur, all conglomerated into one. We traverse the silent streets of Caneo, and, crossing the bridge-or, rather, one of the bridges-over the Stourà, in half-an-hour's hard walking (for old Miché, though he looks bent and feeble, steps out in a most astonishing manner), arrive at "la campagna del Marchese:" the said "campagna" being a small, comfortable, farmhouselooking kind of place, with an orchard on one side and a vineyard on

the other.

On our arrival, we find Il Marchese already shouting for his shoes from the top of the stairs; and after a hearty shake-hands and an excellent cup of "caffé nero," topped off with a glass of rum for the fortification of the inward man against the cold morning wind doubly iced from the new-fallen snow over which it blows on the distant heights of the Col de Teuda. And certainly old Miché had reason in his exclamation, as he buttoned his old fustian coat round him—“Il vent del Col e sempre molto beng fred."

The Marchese increased our canine following by a wiry, strong, and

intelligent-looking pointer, the which looked well up to his work; and, as there was not much time to lose, our preliminary conversation was limited to requests for some English powder, which I promptly supplied, to the great delight of my friend-for, be it known to all who go out shooting abroad, most continental gunpowder is very bad, and one of the greatest boons you can bestow upon a French or Italian sportsman is a little English sporting powder, though, at the same time, it is necessary to warn those who travel abroad that they must exercise immense ingenuity in concealing it, for if the douaniers in any continental country chanced to lay hands on it, it is sure to be seized, and will, perhaps, moreover occasion some trouble to the owner.

The Marchese having filled his powder-flask at the expense of my spare one, we sallied forth, and, while making our way to our ground, I devoted some attention to my friend's sporting equipment, in hopes of discovering something extraordinary therein, having heard many curious stories about foreign sportsmen; but I find, however, that the Marchese is dressed in an old sporting costume very unaffectedly, as any English gentleman would be going out shooting. However, he has, instead of our shot-pouch, a leathern pocket strapped round his waist, which divides the weight of the shot pretty evenly; and when he wants to load, he dips into the said pocket (which is divided into various compartments for different sized shot) with a tin measure containing a charge, and can load his gun that way just as quickly as any one else. On turning my attention to his gun, I find him carrying it slung over his shoulder by a leathern strap, and therefore it does not tire so much as my English one, which is not provided with that convenience. The gun itself attracts one's attention, being a very light, short, handy style of affair, very highly finished, and with the stock beautifully carved, and the trigger-guard and the other mountings of silver; the barrels were rather short, and the bore rather small, being only about No. 18. On seeing my curious inspection of his weapon, the Marchese said:"Yes, it is a pretty gun, but I think you will look at it perhaps with greater curiosity still, when I tell you it was the fowling-piece of the late king, the gallant Carlo Alberto, and was given me by the present king, Vittorio Emmanuel, when I had the honour of serving as his officier d'ordonnance. Now, I daresay, even in your country, there are many who would value immensely such a relic of the great champion of Italian liberty; for my part, I would not part with the gun for any consideration.'

While we were thus talking we began to enter upon our shooting ground, where we found thick hedgerows for woodcocks; an occasional vineyard, out of which you might knock anything, from a cock to a hare; and plenty of stubbles, which were, however, cut too short and thin to give much cover to the game. The dogs were soon away in the stubbles, while one of us beat the bordering hedge in search of a woodcock. Contrary, however, to preconceived ideas against continental dogs as well as sportsmen, they worked capitally, and appeared to be under excellent command, quartering their ground, and beating likelylooking nooks and corners, in obedience to old Miché's signs; but, unfortunately, a hare getting up out of range, they could not resist the temptation, and bolted after him. Not being recalled without great shouting U. S. MAG, No. 339, FEB., 1857.

R

and gesticulation on the part of the old caçadore, who yelled "Ba Badé! ballôs, Courtois !" at the top of his voice; which said was "ballôs," I believe to be the acme of all Piedmontese vituperati whether applied to men or dogs. It, however, appeared to produce desired effect, for they soon returned, looking very much ashamed themselves, as no doubt they ought to have been after having had e thets of such severity applied to them, and after a lecture from Miché (for, unlike an English gamekeeper, he did not resort to argument of stick), they returned assiduously to their duty, and did: again transgress. The Marchese shortly afterwards knocked over cock darting through the trees right well, at a distance of about er yards, which improved a disparaging opinion I had at first formed his gun, upon seeing its size and feeling its light weight; but smal it was, it appeared to do its work as well as a heavier one.

After some hard walking we agreed to halt at a small village cal Truchi for breakfast, where, having procured a couple of bottles of t country wine, and old Miché having hauled a mighty provision of brea and Italian sausage from some of the many capacious pockets of £ shooting-coat, we composed ourselves to the discussion thereof, wh Miché entertained us with histories of his prowess against the ph sants and grouse in the mountains. "Well I remember, signori,"

he, some ten years ago, when I guided the king, Carlo Alberto, the mountains there above, when he went out to shoot the pheasant the mountain grouse. A good sportsman and a kind man he was. W. do I mind how, when they all sat down to eat upon that slope the above Dronero, how the king desired that all we poor men who wer with him should sit down likewise. He sent us a good share of provisions and plenty of wine, and sat there with us kindly and with pride. Right well pleased was he to see us enjoy ourselves." O Miché further proceeded to inform us that he had been drawn in the conscription, and served for five years in the army of Napoleon I., he was sufficiently reserved upon that subject. I suppose his souvenirs of service as a soldier of the Empire were not very agreeable.

Our breakfast over, having lit our pipes we went on our way greatly refreshed; and, while proceeding to our next shooting-ground, the Mar chese told me a good deal about the present King Vittoria Emmanuel He said that his great hobby was sporting, and that he was not only s capital shot, but so strong and hardy that he could outwalk any one of his gamekeepers or attendants; when shooting, he never even halted to lunch as most other people do in the middle of the day, but went on continually from morning till evening; and hard work, he said, it is to keep up with him; he is as well a capital horseman and a great connoisseur of horse flesh; he spends the greater part of his time at his castle of Polentza, but often goes to the mountains after the chamois, having latterly caused a certain portion to be preserved for his particular sporting. At his last expedition the king killed, I believe, no less than nine chamois a very great success, for it is even a more difficult animal to get at than the Scotch red deer, being much shyer, and living as high up the mountains, as it can go; besides, Alpine mountain climbing is a much more serious affair than going over the Scotch hills. The chamois is generally hunted in the summer and autumn, as at other

-

seasons

of

the year the mountain climbing becomes too dangerous to be pleasant. Besides the chamois, there are likewise, in the mountains of Piedmont and Savoy, a kind of small brown bear, which is, I believe, however, a very harmless kind of animal, living wholly on herbs, and generally running away when attacked-so there is not much sport to be got out of them; the peasants, however, sometimes make an expedition against them when they have excited their wrath by a foray in the maize crop. Thus pleasantly conversing, with the occasional distraction of a point on the part of the dogs, which, however, did not very often occur, as there was not much game to be found, we passed the day; and having, at least as far as I was concerned, (for my companions walked at an awful pace) been sufficiently tired, we plodded home some three leagues to Caneo, where a capital dinner, to which we had been invited by some of our right hospitable friends of the garrison of Caneo-which town being the head-quarters of the Bersaglieri, it is almost unnecessary to say, is likewise the head-quarters of all joviality and good fellowship-a hearty dinner soon indemnified us for the fatigues of the day; and having commenced the discussion of sundry bottles of capital old Barolo, the hearts of the company becoming expanded under the influence of the generous old wine, sparkling blood-red in our glasses, the great wit and songster of the dinner-party, the Chevalier Shaffalari, was called upon for a song; so, without any preliminary refusals, he produced his guitar from the corner, and striking a few chords commenced the following, "Canzonga Bévé," a drinking song, which I have transcribed to give a specimen of the Piedmontese dialect; the words are written as they would be pronounced in English :

---

Tra la la, la li la, la li la, poità si dà bévé,

Salta pori [here every one chinks his glass three times],

Ching, ching, ching,

O cúntage é pi neng ving,

Tra la, &c., porta si dà bévé.

Vivà Vivà, il grand Noe, Bis.

Ché-al-à piantà la vignà

Piantà li per tutti coi,

Ché s'inchutà prīm di moi.

Other verses followed, to the number of nearly a dozen, all in praise of good wine and its cheering qualities; and the jolly chorus, with its accompaniment of clinking glasses, was enough to make Werter himself dry up his tears and forget his sorrows.

I will not spoil the song by endeavouring to translate it, but my readers must take it for granted as a right jovial one; but there is a certain limit, alas! to the capacity of human stomach and brains; so, having had our share, we reluctantly abandoned the Barolo and sallied forth to the café. Now the café is the great resource of Italian society,