“ In the year 1779, when the war with America was conducted with great spirit upon the continent, a division of the British army was encamped on the banks of a river, in a position so favoured by nature, that it was difficult for any military art to surprize it. War in America was rather a species of hunting than a regular campaign. "If you fight with art," said Washington to his soldiers, "you are sure to be defeated. ”

“ This, indeed, is the great danger in elephant-hunting; for some of the trees, that are dry and short, break by the violent pressure of so immense a body moving so rapidly, and fall upon the pursuers, or across the roads. But the greatest number of these trees being of a succulent quality, they bend without breaking, and return quickly to the former position, when they strike both horse and man so violently, that they often beat them to pieces. ”

“ These elders are chosen from among the heads of families, of known orthodoxy and steady adherence to the worship, discipline, and government of the Church. Being solemnly engaged to use their utmost endeavour for the suppression of vice, and the cherishing of piety and virtue, and to exercise discipline faithfully and diligently, the minister, in the presence of the congregation, sets them apart to their office by solemn prayer, and concludes with exhorting both elders and people to their respective duties. ”

“ The church of Scotland includes about nine hnudred parishes, and nearly as many benefices. The clergy are required to deliver a sermon with prayers twice every Lord's day, besides other occasional services. It is also expected throughout Scotland, that the prayers and discourses shall be the minister's own composition, and that they be delivered without the use of papers. They are to visit, to catechise, and to teach from house to house; to superintend all schools within their bounds, and are especially charged with the care of the poor. ”

“ The most eminent of the Scottish reformers was John Knox, a man of considerable abilities, of no less courage and resolution, a disciple of Calvin, and a warm admirer of the constitution and discipline which he had established at Geneva. Almost from the æra of the Reformation in Scotland till that of the Revolution, there was a perpetual struggle between the court and the people, for the establishment of an episcopal or presbyterian form of church government. ”

“ At morn, the ills of life confound me.
Where now youth's prospects, joyous, gay?
Where now the hopes I fondly cherished?
Alas! they all have passed away!
Like snow flakes on the stream they've perished! ”

“ Confirmation is rejected; but Ordination, by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery is now universally practised. Sponsors in baptism are disallowed; and the father, who generally presents to baptism, does not make any promise for the child, but for himself, that nothing shall be wanting on his part to lead the child, at some future period, to undertake the obligations of religion.
The discipline of the Church is chiefly admonitory. There is no officious interference in matters which fall under the cognizance of the civil magistrate, no solicitude to investigate private offences ”

“ On the 6th, an hour before day, after a hearty breakfast, we mounted on horse-back, to the number of about thirty, belonging to Ayto Confu. But there was another body, both of horse and foot, which made hunting the elephant their particular business. These men dwell constantly in the woods, and know very little of the use of bread, living entirely upon the flesh of the beasts they kill, chiefly that of the elephant or rhinoceros. They are exceedingly thin, light, and agile, both on horseback and foot; are very swarthy, though few of them black ”

“ If news were brought that a hostile party approached, the horns sounded to arms, and they immediately arranged themselves in the best order they could devise; the stoutest and boldest in front, and those of inferior prowess behind. Seldom did they wait he approach of the enemy, but usually went forth o meet them with a bold countenance, the captain of each company carrying the colours, and leading the van. When they met, they mutually desired each other to lower their colours in sign of subjection. ”

“ The sin of uncleanness is punished by the parties being required to present themselves in the church, for three different sabbaths, on a bench, called the Stool of Repentance, when they are openly rebuked by their minister in the face of the congregation ”

“ One morning, the centinels having been stationed as usual over night, the guard went at sun-rise to relieve a post which extended a considerable distance into the wood. The centinel was gone! The surprise was great; but the circumstance had occurred before. They left another man and departed, wishing him better luck. "You need not be afraid," said the man with warmth, "I shall not desert!" ”

“ Dexterous too as the riders are, the elephant sometimes reaches them with his trunk, with which he dashes the horse against the ground, and then sets his feet upon him, till he tears him limb from limb with his proboscis; a great many hunters die this way. ”

“ The lowest ecclesiastical court, called the Church Session, consists of the ministers and elders. The minister is moderator, but has no power to decide against the Session, nor any right to vote, except when the voices of the elders are equal and opposite. He may enter his protest against their sentence, and appeal to the judgment of the Presbytery ”

“ The cause of the disappearance of the other centinels was apparent. The Indians, sheltered in this disguise, secreted themselves in the coppice; watched the moment when they could throw it off; burst upon the centinels without previous alarm, and too quick to give them an opportunity to discharge their pieces, either stabbed or scalped them and bore their bodies away, which they concealed at some distance in the leaves. The Americans gave them rewards for every scalp they brought. ”

“ If the sword is good, and the man not afraid, the tendon is commonly entirely separated; and if it is not cut through, it is generally so far divided, that the animal, with the stress he puts upon it, breaks the remaining part asunder. ”

“ If no opponent appeared, or if they themselves had no intention of making an attack, at about mid-day they took down their colours, and marched with horns sounding, towards the most considerable village in their district, where the lasses, and all the people came out to meet them, and partake of their diversions. ”

“ In these boxes they build and hatch their young. When the young are hatched, the parent bird feeds them with a variety of different insects, particularly such as are injurious in gardens. An intelligent gentleman was at the trouble to observe the number of times a pair of these birds came from their box, and returned with insects for their young. He found that they did this from forty to sixty times in an hour, and in one particular hour, the birds carried food to their young seventy-one times. ”

“ Every regulation of public worship, every act of discipline, and every ecclesiastical censure, is the joint work of a certain number of ministers and laymen acting together with equal authority, and deciding every question by majority. The laymen of these courts are called elders, and ruling elders ”

“ In order to limit as far as possible this species of war, in which there was so much loss and so little honour, it was the custom with every regiment to extend its outposts to a great distance beyond the encampments; to station centinels some miles in the woods, and keep a constant guard round the main body. ”

“ Usefulnes of Wrens.—As a devourer of pernicious insects, one of the most useful birds is the house wren. This little bird seems peculiarly fond of the society of man, and it must be confessed that it is often protected by his interested care. ”

“ A violent illness led to the discovery of her sex, when she was discharged, and sent to her connections. The cause of her personating a man, proceeded from the rigour of her parents, who exerted their prerogative to induce her to marry a man for whom she had conceived a great antipathy. ”

“ A man immediately stept from the ranks and desired to take the post. Every one commended his resolution. "I will not be taken alive," said he, "and you will hear of me on the least alarm. At all events I will fire my piece, if I hear the least noise. ”

“ The relief company returned to the guard-house. The centinels were replaced every twenty-four hours, and, at the appointed time the guard again marched to relieve the post.—To their inexpressible astonishment the man was gone! They searched round the spot, but no traces could be found of his disappearance. It was necessary that the station, for a stronger motive than ever, should not remain unoccupied; they were compelled to leave another man and return to the guard-house. The superstition of the soldiers was awakened, and the terror ran through the regiment. ”

“ The woman looked dumfounded, as she well might; and after muttering, "Preserve us! preserve us! the man's a warlock, and has witched the wean." crossed the street, and disappeared as fast as her trembling limbs could carry her. But the story was soon bruited abroad, and did more for the ventriloquist than an advertisment in the newspapers.—On another occasion, Mr Carmichael was seated on the top of a coach, in company with various other passengers, one of whom, at some point of the journey, in crossing over to the front seat, happened to stumble on a large bag. ”

“ It appears that the herdsmen within a certain district, towards the beginning of summer, associated themselves into bands, sometimes to the number of a hundred or more. Each of these communities agreed to build a tower in some conspicuous place, near the centre of their district, which was to serve as the place of their rendezvous on Lammas day. The tower was usually built of sods ”

“ If there appeared to be a great disproportion in the strength of the parties, the weakest usually submitted to this ceremony without much difficulty, thinking their honour was saved by the evident disproportion of the match ”

“ The provision made for the clergy consists of a stipend, a glebe of land of about six acres, and a parsonage-house. The livings on an average are not worth more than £200 a year, chiefly payable out of an assessment on the rent of land. ”

“ Sow cabbage and all kinds of greens to stand through the winter for plants in spring; also cabbage and Dutch lettuces on warm borders, for winter use. Earth up celery, and plant out more. Clean asparagus beds. ”