f to
leeward, and entirely concealed the barque. Our situation was rather
unpleasant: in a rough sea, the other boats out of sight, and each
moment the wind increasing. We continued to strain every muscle till we
were hard upon the whale. Tabor sprang to the bow, and stood by with the
harpoon. "Softly, softly, my lads," said the headsman. "Ay, ay sir!"
"Hush-h-h! softly! Now's your time, Tabor!" Tabor let fly the harpoon,
and buried the iron. "Give him another!" "Stern all!" thundered P----.
"Stern all!" And, as we rapidly backed from the whale, he flung his
tremendous fluke high in the air, covering us with a cloud of spray. He
then sounded, making the line whiz as it passed through the chocks. When
he rose to the surface again, we hauled up, and the second mate stood
ready in the bow to dispatch him with lances. "Spouting blood!" said
Tabor, "he's a dead whale! he won't need much lancing." It was true
enough; for, before the officer could get within dart of him, he
commenced his dying struggles. The sea was crimsoned with his blood. By
the time we had reached him, he was belly up. We lay upon our oars a
moment, to witness his last throes, and when he turned his head toward
the sun, a loud, simultaneous cheer, burst from every lip.

LEOPARD HUNTING.

AND ADVENTURES WITH BUFFALOES AND LIONS.

Mr. Cumming has published a volume containing a record of his hunting
exploits in Africa, in the year 1848. The following interesting accounts
of adventures are from his work.

On the morning, says Mr. Cumming, I rode into camp, after unsuccessfully
following the spoor of a herd of elephants for two days, in a westerly
course. Having partaken of some refreshment, I saddled up two steeds and
rode down the bank of Ngotwani, with the Bushman, to seek for any game I
might find. After riding about a mile along the river's green bank, I
came suddenly upon an old male leopard, lying under the shade of a thorn
grove, and panting from the great heat. Although I was within sixty
yards of him, he had not heard the horse's tread. I thought he was a
lioness, and, dismounting, took a rest in my saddle on the Old Gray, and
sent a bullet into him. He sprang to his feet and ran half way down the
river's bank, and stood to look about him, when I sent a second bullet
into his person, and he disappeared over the bank. The ground being
very dangerous, I did not disturb him by following then, but I at once
sent Ruyter back to camp for the dogs.