Alfred met with the adventure which first brought him to our notice. Recollections of the event, and the story of old Maggie came back to him, and he stretched his head out in the gray twilight, hoping to recognise her again. However, a stranger came and took the toll,-a young flaxenheaded girl, who hummed a merry song. Looking into the toll-house, Alfred saw that all the internal arrangements had been changed. There was a table spread out for the evening meal,-over it hung a white cloth, and around the room were thrown the cheerful light and roseate warmth of a brisk fire. "Ah! poor old Maggie, she is dead!" thought Alfred and he questioned the driver upon the truth of his supposition, when it was fully confirmed.

By the time that Alfred drew near to the cottage, the full moon had ascended; and was pouring down her silvery rays upon the quiet earth. The queen of night shone forth so brightly, that even the birds awoke and sang to her a glad salutation. The leaves and flowers, the gnarled trunks of trees, the rude rocks by the wayside, and the drops falling from the streams that meandered along the banks of the edges, all caught her silvery lustre, and united to make the scene glorious to the eye.

Ellen had received a letter from her cousin, the same morning, telling her of his intention to reach Windmere on that day. She immediately handed the letter to her father, and both were filled with surprise at the suddenness of the visit.

Mr. Lyndhurst and Ellen sat in anxious expectation-the heart of the latter beat almost audibly, for she dreaded the events that might arise out of Alfred's visit.

"I will take my hat, and walk out a

little way on the road," said Mr. Lyndhurst, "the night is beautifully fine, and I shall have the pleasure of meeting Alfred on the way. You, Ellen, had better stay, and make preparations for his arrival."

"Do you think you should go out alone?" asked Ellen, shrinking from her own conscience, and fearing to let her father see Alfred first. But he had formed a resolution, and kissing his daughter's brow, said, "Fear nothing Nelly, the night is almost as bright as day, I will not walk far."

So away he went; Ellen accompanied him to the door, and watched his form as it receded from her. Then she turned her large bright eyes up to the moon which was looking down with a placid and almost mocking smile, for her heart was torn by violent agitation, and her eyes were filled with tears that broke from their resting-place and rolled over her pallid cheeks. She closed the door and retired to the parlour; but in a moment footsteps were heard, a box was set down upon the step, and a loud knock announced Alfred's arrival.

"There they are," exclaimed Ellen, "Now for the trial!-he will not surely have disclosed anything to father so soon; and with a faltering step she hastened to the door, which the servant had already opened.

"Well, Alfred," exclaimed she, "you have surprised us by this sudden visit."

"I hope I am not unwelcome?" said Alfred, in a tone of some doubt.

"Oh, cousin, why do you speak so? we are ever glad to see you!"

"Dear, dear cousin!" said Alfred, catching her in his arms, and clasping her fervently, "I almost feared that I had incurred your hate."

"Why do you speak so Alfred, and why are you so excited?" asked Ellen, as, taking his hand, she led him into the parlour.

66

Because," "said he "I am the bearer of ill news, which may bring you great grief, and which may cause you even to hate me, and to forget the love which now subsists between us."

Ellen trembled, for she knew the subject, and for a time was speechless. "Where is uncle?" asked Alfred.

"Have you not seen him?" inquired Ellen, surprised; "he went out half an hour ago to meet you."

"He has missed me, then," said Alfred; "and now while I have got a moment to spare, and before he comes, let me implore you, dear cousin, to confide in the warning I am come to give you. Charles Langford is unworthy of you-his character is that of a base deceiver--a villain who has broken many hearts, and seeks to triumph over you: but for the fortune which he hopes to get from his uncle upon his marriage with you, he has not one spark of love for you, or one sentiment of manly honour."

Ellen buried her face in her hands and wept. Alfred proceeded to tell all he knew of Charles Langford. He entered into close particulars upon every circumstance, and adduced proofs with which he had fortified himself, so that a terrible conviction flash upon Ellen's soul.

Contrary to Alfred's expectations, his cousin did not upbraid him, nor did she seek to extenuate Langford's faults. She saw in the narrative that had been told to her-in Alfred's firm and decided toneand in the tears that filled his eyes-together with the fact of his long journey from London in her behalf, a sufficient confirmation of what latterly she had began to suspect to be true. She dried her eyes, stood up, and looking beautiful in the dignity of her expression, said, "Alfred, you know not how terrible the blow is to me. But I will bear it with fortitude. Hitherto I have kept the know. ledge of your communications from my father, and have in many matters deceived him. A day or two ago I had an awful warning. I stood by the death-bed of the old woman of the turnpike, about whom you often spoke to me--and there I saw the wretched end of one made utterly miserable through a long life, by her disregard of parental love and judgment. God forbid that my fate should be like hers!"

"You mean poor Maggie Matthews ?" inquired Alfred.

"I do," said Ellen.

Then, how will you act towards your father?" inquired Alfred. "I hear his Sootsteps approaching."

"I will throw myself upon his loving

forgiveness, and tell him all," said Ellen. The door was opened, the venerable man entered the room, and his daughter fell weeping into into his arms.

(Continued at page 531.)

OYSTERS, PEARLS, AND PEARL DIVERS.

THE oyster, as most of our young readers are aware, is a shell-fish affording very nutritious and palatable food, which many consider a very great luxury. In many parts of the world the oyster attains a very large size, the shells of some of which, from the coast of Madagascar, we have seen measuring more than a foot and a half in diameter. Some of these are said to contain food sufficient for a meal for several men. All the various species of oysters, also some other kinds of shellfish, contain, at times, pearls, but one particular species called the pearl oyster, is especially valuable on this account. has a strong shell, rough and hard on the outside, but smooth and polished within. From the internal coats of the shell is taken what is called mother of pearl, resembling the pearls in colour. But it is the pearl itself which is by far the most valuable. The value of this article increases in proportion to its figure and colour, as well as to its size.

It

The most extensive pearl-fishery is said to be in the Persian Gulf. It is as wretched and hurtful an occupation for a human being, as it is possible to conceive.

Those engaged in it are chiefly slaves; they dive to the bottom of the water, with a net fastened to their necks, for the pur pose of containing the oysters, and are let down by a rope, with a stone of forty or fifty pounds weight fastened to it, to keep them down to the bottom, where they remain a length of time almost incredible to those who have never witnessed the operation; sometimes, it is said, by long practice being enabled to remain under water a quarter of an hour, which we think is an exaggeration. Their lives are consequently very short, being mostly cut off in the prime of life, by disease occasioned by the pressure upon the lungs while in the water.

1

tongue and be quiet, and. instead of swearing, return thanks to the gods that the emperor was not born under the sign of the Horse, for, in that case, the load would have been heavier."

We give the pleasant tale as we find it, but we do not believe that it points to the real origin of the superstitious regard for dogs, which many of the Mongol race share with the Japanese and Turks. That superstition had its origin in the wilds of Tartary, or in whatever other part of the world it was that served as the cradle and great starting-point of the wide-spread Mongol race. The dog must have been in a manner deified, when they first put him among their celestial signs.

Among some of the Mongolian tribes, the dog is the indicator of fate, the harbinger of death; and among others, the dog is an object either of dread or devotion.

But our learned German is not always so facetious about this monstrous annoyance of street dogs. On reaching Nagasaki, he says :- "The street dogs also deserved to be noticed among the inhabitants of this city, they being full as well, nay, better maintained and taken care of than many of the people, and although the imperial orders on this head are not regarded and complied with at Nagasaki, with that strictness as they must be in other parts of the empire, which are not so remote from court, yet the streets be full of these animals, leading a most easy and independent life, giving way neither to men nor horses. The town is never without a great deal of noise from these animals."

The Japanese have no dogs of superior breed, but they have cats of a peculiarly beautiful kind. They are of a whitish colour, with large yellow and black spots, and a very short tail: the ladies carry them about as lap-dogs.

In the islands are found deer, wild boars, and hares, but apparently in no great numbers. There are also monkeys, wild dogs, foxes, some curious animals that look like a cross between the fox and the wolf, and a few small bears in the secluded parts of the northern provinces. The fox bears not the very best of characters among the Japanese; the peasantry believe him to be in league with all evil

spirits or devils, and to be himself the very incarnation of craft, malice, and wickedness; "but," says old Kampfer, "the fox-hunters are expert in conjuring and stripping this animated devil, his hair and wool being much coveted for writing and painting pencils." The weasel and ferret are found. Rats and mice swarm throughout the country, for the beautiful cats, being pets, have no turn for mousing. The rats are tamed by the natives, and taught to perform several tricks, and form a common diversion for the poorer people. We find mention made of two small animals of a red colour, that live under the roofs of the houses, and are very tame. They are called the itutz and the tin.

a very

The destructive white ant, that great annoyance of most parts of the East Indies, is very common. The Japanese call them do toos, or piercers; a name they well merit, for they perforate whatever they meet, stones and metals only excepted, and when once they get into a merchant's warehouse, they in short compass of time can destroy or ruin an amazing quantity of his best goods. Nothing has been yet found that will keep them off, except salt laid under the goods and spread about them. The common European ants are their mortal enemies, and wherever these have been introduced, the do toos have rapidly disappeared, like the original English rat before the invasion of the Norwegian.

The islands, however, may be said to be remarkably free from insects and obnoxious reptiles. There are but few snakes, and hardly any of them appear to be venomous. One of these is of a beautiful green colour, with a very flat head. Japanese soldiers cook it and eat its flesh, in the belief that it imparts courage and audacity. The natives also calcine the flesh in an earthen pot hermetically sealed, and derive from it a powder, which they believe to possess the most extraordinary medicinal virtues. There is a

water snake of monstrous size; and another very large snake of black colour, but quite inoffensive, is found in the mountains. Both are very scarce, and when taken are shown about for money.

Birds are rather numerous. Of tame poultry they keep only fowls and ducks.

They sell them sometimes to foreigners, but never eat them. Cocks are highly prized by the religious orders, because they mark the time, and foretell changes of the weather. Indeed they are chiefly kept up as time-keepers.

The crane is the chief of the wild birds of the country; but like the heron and the stork, which also abound, they can scarcely be called wild, for they are held as sacred birds, and nobody must injure or molest them. They thus become quite familiar, and mix with the people, and throng the market-places, just as the storks do in all towns, villages, and bazaars in Turkey, where they are equally objects of affection and veneration. No doubt this feeling also had its rise in the Tartarian regions. When the conquering Turks first came into Europe, they were accustomed to say that the stork had a singular affection for their race, and that whithersoever they might carry their victorious arms, the stork would follow them and live with them. In Japan the countrypeople never call the crane by any other name than that of O Tsurisama, "My great lord crane." There are two sorts of them; one white as snow, and the other gray. They portend good fortune, and long life. For this reason the imperial apartments, the walls of temples, and other happy places, are commonly adorned with figures of them. Cranes are also painted on dishes and drinking cups, and reproduced on articles of domestic furniture. We have seen native paintings of these birds that are exquisitely beautiful, as true and correct in drawing as beautiful in finish and colouring. They are among the very best specimens of Japanese

art.

The tortoise is another happy and sacred creature, and is represented on walls, and reproduced in the same manner. Wild geese and wild ducks are very abundant, and very tame. There are several species of both. One kind of duck is of immense size and of wonderfully brilliant and beautiful plumage. Pheasants, wild pigeons, and woodcocks, are very common birds. Hawks also are common. Ravens are scarce. Our common European crows, as also parrots, and other Indian birds, are never to be met with.

Of singing-birds, Kampfer mentions only larks and nightingales; but he says that both of these sing more sweetly than with us. The natives highly prize the nightingale, and large sums are paid for a caged one, with a good voice.

They have plenty of bees, and, consequently, honey and wax are produced.

The shrill cicala, or winged-grasshopper, peoples the pines, and fills the woods and mountains with its incessant song. Butterflies and beetles are numerous and diversified, some of both kinds being very beautiful. Among the night-moths, there is one sort which the Japanese ladies keep in little cages, as pets and curiosities. This moth is about four inches long, slender, round-bodied, with four wings, two of which are transparent, and concealed under the other pair of wings, which shine like polished metal, and are most curiously and beautifully adorned with blue and gold lines and spots. The following graceful fable owes its origin to the matchless beauty of this moth. All other night-flies fall in love with it; and to get rid of their importunities, it maliciously bids them, as a trial of their devotion and constancy, to go and fetch it fire. The blind lovers, obedient to command, fly to the nearest lamp or candle, and never fail to get burned to death.

The sea all about Japan is plentifully stocked with all sorts of fish, and the natives are very expert fishermen. In the time of Charlevoix and Kampfer, and earlier travellers, the whale fishery was carried on to a great extent, particularly in the sea which washes the southern coasts of the great island, Niphon. The common way of catching them was by harpooning, in the manner of our Greenland fishermen: but the Japanese boats seemed to be fitter for the purpose than ours. being small, narrow, tapering at each end into a sharp point, and rowing with incredible swiftness. "About 1680, a rich fisherman, in the province of Omura, found out a new way of catching whales with nets made of strong ropes, about two inches thick. This method was afterwards followed with good success by another man of the country. They say that, as soon as the whale finds its head entangled in a net, he cannot, without great difficulty, swim away or dive, and