cat had that day kittened, and that, perhaps, the puppies might be substituted for her progeny. The experiment was made, two of the kittens were removed, and two puppies substituted. The cat made no objections, took to them kindly, and gradually all the kittens were taken away, and the cat nursed the two puppies only. Now, the first curious fact was, that the two puppies nursed by the cat were, in a fortnight, as active, forward, and playful, as kittens would have been: they had the use of their legs, barked, and gambolled about; while the other three, nursed by the mother, were whining and rolling about like fat slugs. The cat gave them her tail to play with, and they were always in motion; they very soon ate meat, and long before the others, they were fit to be removed. This was done, and the cat became very inconsolable. She prowled about the house, and on the second day of tribulation fell in with the little spaniel, who was nursing the other three puppies. "O ho!" says puss putting up her back, "it is you who have stolen my children." "No," replied the spaniel, with a snarl, "they are my own flesh and blood." "That won't do," said the cat, "I'll take my oath before any justice of peace that you have my two puppies." Thereupon issue was joined, that is to say, there was a desperate combat, which ended in the defeat of the spaniel, and the cat walking proudly off with one of the puppies, which she took to her own bed. Having deposited this one, she returned, fought again, gained another victory, and redeemed another puppy. Now it is very singular that she should have taken only two, the exact number she had been deprived of. Does this not prove to a certain extent the power of comprehending numbers in animals? and does not the precocity of the two puppies brought up by the cat, infer there is some grounds for the supposition that, with the milk is imbued much of the nature and disposition of the mother? A few experiments made on these points would be interesting, and we should have a new science, that of lacteology, to add to craniology, in our nurture and rearing of the species.

young; his mother had been killed, and he yet required partial nourishment. He was brought to Rangoon, established in one of the best houses in the place, and an edict was sent forth from the capital, ordering that twenty-four of the most healthy young married women should be dedicated to his wants, and if they fell off in power of nourishment, to be replaced by others. This was considered an honor-for were they not nursing a God? Major Canning the political agent, who went to see this curious spectacle, described it to me as follows. "The animal was not above three feet and a few inches high, its color was a dirty grey, rather than white: it was very healthy, playful, and in good spirits. When I went into the room, which was very spacious, and built of teak-wood, the twenty-four nurses were sitting, or lying, on mats about the room, some playing at draughts and other games, others working. The elephant walking about, looking at them, and what they were doing, as if he understood all about it. After a short time, the little deity felt hungry, and, with his trunk, he pushed some of the women, but to annoy him they would not yield to his solicitations. When he became angry, and was too rough for them, they submitted, and he put his trunk round their waists in the most affectionate manner, while he was supplying himself." I did not see the animal myself, as immediately that they heard of our arrival at the mouth of the river, they despatched him under a strong guard to a place of security. But I should like to ascertain hereafter, whether his nurture made him a more reasonable being than are elephants in general.

How one's thoughts fly away over time and space? What a rush of incidents crowd into my memory, merely from having mentioned this circumstance of the white elephant. I did once intend to have written a narrative of what passed during our sojourn in that country, for I saw more of the inhabitants than most people: but others have forestalled me, and it is now too late. Nevertheless, it will perhaps amuse the reader, if, without entering into the military details, I mention a few of the operations and scenes which then occurred. Blase as I am, I prefer reminiscences to observations. I like to feed upon the store of memory, because I am too inactive to care to add to its garner. It shall be so, then, and we will discourse a little about the Burmahs.

This reminds me of a singular fact, little known. The Burmahs, who are desciples Gaudma, equally with the inhabitants of Pegu and Syriam, whose country they have conquered, worship the White Elephant, who is considered as a god. There have been but three white elephants since the foundation of the Burmah dynasty by Alompraa. The An Armenian merchant who resided there told first one is dead, and I have one of his teeth carved me a story one day which was curious. The King with figures, which was consecrated to the great of Pegu was possessed of the most splendid ruby. Dagon Pagoda. The second now reigns-he is in the world, both as to size and color. This was attended by hundreds, wears a howdah, or cloth, well known; it was the boast of the nation. When studded with precious stones, and said to be worth the Burmahs subdued the kingdom of Pegu, the old a million of money. He also wears his bangles or king with his family were taken prisoners, vast armlets on each leg, and fares sumptuously every treasure was also captured, but the great ruby was day. White elephants are very scarce; the color not to be found, notwithstanding the torture and is occasioned by a disease in the animal, a species beheading of thousands. With the usual barbariof leprosy. Any elephant hunter who is fortunately of these countries, the old king, a miserable enough to capture a white elephant in these coun- paraletic little man, was stripped naked and contries, is immediately created a noble, and advan- fined in an iron cage, which I saw when I was at ced to high honor and wealth. The third white elephant, of which I am about to speak particularly, and who may be considered as the heir apparent, was taken a few months previous to our declaring war against the Burmahs. He was very

Rangoon. In this confinement he lived for ten or twelve years, every festival day being brought out and exposed to the derision of the populace. At last he died, and his body was thrown out to be devoured by the dogs and birds of prey. One of

To Themyra.

THE bird that cleaves the evening sky
To seek her younglings' nest,

the soldiers who assisted to drag the body out of there was Happy Jack to be seen capering and the cage, turned it over with his foot, and perceiv- shouting as usual, and never ceasing to expose ed that his right hand grasped a lump of damma, | himself until the troops had landed and were about (a sort of pitch,) which curiosity induced the Bur- to scale the fortress. It was quite amusing to hear mah to force out with the point of his spear. This the men shout out with laughter, "By heavens, had been observed before, but the Burmahs, who there's Happy Jack again." I hope he is alive at are very superstitious and carry about them all this moment; at all events, he deserves to be. sorts of charms, imagined it to be a charm for his paralysis or palsy with which he was afflicted, and therefore had allowed to remain. But when the Burmah took it up, the weight of it convinced him that it was not all damma; he examined it, and found that it was the great ruby of the Pegu kingdom which had been lost, and which the old man had for so many years, in a state of nudity and incarceration, held in his left hand. I asked one of the Burmah chiefs whether this ruby now in the possession of the King of Ava was so fine as represented his answer was in truly Eastern hyperbole-"Dip it in the Irrawaddy," said he, (that is an enormous river seven hundred miles long and in many parts several miles broad,)" and the whole water will turn to blood."

:

I have said that the Burmahs are very superstitious; they have a great variety of charms which they wear about their persons, but there is one custom of theirs which is very singular. They polish rubies; that is, without cutting them in facettes, but merely the stone, what ever its primitive shape, is rubbed down on every side until it is perfectly smooth. They then make an incision in the flesh, generally the arm or leg, put in the ruby and allow the skin to heal over it, so that the stone remains there. Soldiers and sailors in search of plunder will find out any thing, and this practice of the Burmahs was soon discovered, and after the assault and carrying off a stockade, you would see the men passing their hands over the dead bodies, and immediately that they felt a rising in the limb, out with their knives and cut in for the rubies. Indeed, the plunder was more considerable than might be imagined, for every Burmah carried all his wealth about his person.

Another singular custom arising from the same cause prevails among this people. The king has a corps denominated Invulnerables, whose ranks are filled up in this manner:-when a criminal is condemned to death for certain offences, such as robbery, he is permitted to challenge as an Invulnerable. This is proved by his standing at a certain distance from several men who fire at him with ball. Should he not be wounded or killed, he is pronounced an invulnerable and enrolled in the corps. In every stockade we attacked, there were always one or two of these men, and they really appeared to believe in their own powers. They generally stood above the timbers of the stockade, dancing and capering as the boats advanced, and continued their extravagances amidst a shower of bullets, exposing their persons in a most undaunted manner. There was one fellow who, dressed in a short red jacket, and nothing else except the cloth round his loins, who was well known to our men; they called him Happy Jack, from the capers which he used to cut, and somehow or another, it was his good fortune never to be hit, at least, not that we know of, for taking stockade after stockade, at every fresh attack

If chance she hear their plaintive cry,
Fuels terror freeze her breast;
But not so sweet her rapture's glow
To find them safe would be,

As mine-all doubt removed-to know
Themyra's love for me.

Sweet are the winds that swiftly urge
The sea-boy o'er the main,
When dimly on its azure verge,

He views his home again:
Sweeter than favoring breezes prove
To wanderer on the sea,

Is to this faithful breast the love
Themyra bears for me.

The mother, when she meets that boy,
And folds him to her heart,
Thrills through each nerve with keener joy
Than language can impart;

But even a bliss more sweet than hers-
From early stain as free;
The whispered vow of love confers,
Themyra breathed to me.

The flowers that gaudy summer wears
Feed on day's genial light,
But droop when evening gloom appears,
And weep through all the night;
Thus o'er my heart thy smile hath power,
Like night thy frown would be-
For what the sun is to the flower,

Themyra's love's to me.

By yonder stream, on either side,

A graceful rose-tree grows-
They meet and mingle, while the tide

Adds richness as it flows;
Thus may our hearts together blend;
Thus, like yon stream to tree,
May time fresh bloom in passing lend
Themyra's love for me.

Το

"BUT once I dared to lift my eyes-
To lift my eyes to thee;
And since that day, beneath the skies,
No other sight they see.

In vain sleep shuts them in the night—
The night grows day to me;
Presenting idly to my sight
What still a dream must be.
A fatal dream-for many a bar

Divides thy fate from mine;
And still my passions wake and war,
But peace be still with thine."