This feat accomplished, Dreghorn made a speedy exit from the banquet chamber, intimating that "three spoiled sport," and that he would be more profitably employed discussing a pipe in the kitchen! It is utterly impossible to describe the consternation which pervaded poor Embleton at this crushing and most unexpected eclaircissement of his uncle's views and aspirations! If the idea of his relative's union with the kiln-dried Prudence had been productive of signal discomposure to him, what must have been this more hideous and spirit-scunnering revelation? The atmosphere, all of a sudden, appeared teeming with endlessly multiplied images of Dorcas Rubric, and the heiress of Glen Skinflint, and the ripe and rotund beauties of the former contrasted crushingly with the skeleton-like characteristics of the latter. Venus, emerging fresh and sparkling from the amorous sea, and a mummy newly disinterred by Belzoni from its resting lair of three thousand years, could not have presented a more emphatic and suggestive picture of incongruity and disappointment! The "Hyperion and Satyr" of that amiable but somewhat flighty young prince, Hamlet, were not "circumstances" in comparison ! For a lengthened season John remained in his brown, or rather his black Study, utterly incompetent to realize the full honours of the "fix" in which he had been placed by the joint agency of the Fates and his uncle. How long he would have continued in his psycological maze it is impossible to say, had it not been dispelled after a most practically physical fashion. Seeing that there was no probability of the swain making the preliminary advance, the nymph determined to take the initiative in the campaign of wooing.Starting from her chair, Prudence threw her arms around the shrinking neck of the Cataleptic Embleton, and in tones not quite so dulcet as those of a nightingale, professed that he had won her young and unsophisticated affections! If John Embleton had given way to his pri mary and most potent impulse, he would unquestionably have passed a doom of terrible import on this maidenly demonstration, of his ardent admirer! Privation, however, had taught him prudence. He realized the hopelessness of his condition, if he should run counter to the schemes and behests of his uncle-and though it went sorely against his grain, he forced himself to mutter some unintelligible words complimentary to the withered spinster, from whose contact he inwardly recoiled. Thus it eventuated that when the Laird of Hungry Knowes, his smoke being discussed, rejoined the "young" couple-as by anachronism, (as far at least as one of the parties was concerned) he styled them, all things appeared to be progressing according to his wishes. John might have been a fraction more ardent, he opined, and no great harm dore, but Hungry Knowes had long learned to be thankful for microscopic mercies, or in the words of the orthodox old song: "Contented wi little, and cantie wi mair!" As uncle and nephew rode home that night, the former expatiated might and main, upon the multiform advantages which could not fail to accrue from the conjunction of Hungry Knowes, and Glen Skinflint. Such another estate as the twain would form, would not be met with in bonnie Scotland, and many a hint, broad enough to be called a command, did he throw out, to the effect that the sooner the double union of lands and bodies was carried into effect, the better. These words fell upon the ear of Embleton, about as genially as molten lead would harmonize with a back, fresh from the operations of a cat o' nine tails! torian. During the succeeding six months, nothing occurred calling for special notice from the hisMiss M'Thrift paid frequent visits to Hungry Knowes and the Laird religiously took care that the debts of courtesy thus incurred should be liquidated with the slightest possible delay. It is hardly necessary to add that whenever he shaped his course to Glen Skinflint the hapless Embleton was constrained to accompany him. This he did with the cognate aptitude and relish, which a badger evinces to be drawn from its seclusion by an obtrusive English bull dog, or Scottish terrier! The more he saw of the tough and sapless spinster, the more he detested her, and he felt that if all the daughters of Eve should be swept away by some monster pestilence, except herself, he would preserve the virtue of celibacy to the close of his mundane curriculum! About this season it so chanced that Gavin Park was smitten with a sore and wasting sickness, from which Dr. Puke McBock, the family physician, pronounced that without the intervention of a miracle he would never recover. The precise nature of the ailment it was difficult to determine. There were, amongst other things, a total loss of appetite, and a gradual wasting and withering away, indicating that the worm Death was busy at the root of the once lordly and stalwart gourd, and that ere long the place which once knew it, would know it no more forever! At the bed-side of Gavin, John Embleton was "The entire parish o' Sour Sowans," said he, "has been lang wondering why the wedding has certain knowledge, Simon Shortbread the baker, has had the wedding cake prepared in anticipation for at least twa' months. They tell me that it has got a fraction mouldy by this time, which is a' the better, seeing that we can claim a liberal discount on the score o' the flaw." Thus driven into a corner, John Embleton had no option, but to reveal how things really stood, so far as his affections were concerned. Falling upon his knees he confessed that his heart was not at his own disposal, having years ago been made over, with all its parts, pendicles, and pertinents, to a certain maiden, answering to the name of Dorcas Rubric. a frequent watcher, and into the ear of this humble and attached friend he poured forth the story of his griefs and apprehensions. Most thoroughlyna' taken place, lang before noo, and, to my did Park sympathize in the trouble of his young master, for he hated Madamoiselle Thrift with a perfect hatred for this, among other reasons, that the mercantile spinster made a practice of selling the game which was engendered upor. the acres, over which she exercised dominion. In the eyes of the scandalized servitor this was a delict more unpardonable than an infraction of the Decalogue in one lump. As he often declared, murder and highway robbery were venial sins when weighed against the vendition of hares and muir fowl 66 as if they had been sae mony stirks, or barndoor chuckies!" In all this there was nothing unnatural or extraordinary. There is a convential sanctitude (if I may so use the expression) in all matters connected with the "chase," which has a mighty influence upon the votaries of the gun and angling-rod. The poacher who would not hesitate for one second, to blow out the brains of an antagonistic game-keeper, would shudder at the idea of shooting a bird when sitting, or using drugs to stupify the fish, to slay whom was his illigitimate mission. These remarks, of course, have only reference to thorough bred sportsmen, and have no applicability to the skum of vagrants vomited forth by cities, upon "fasts" and holidays on the rural districts, and who would bring down their own grand mothers with as little compunction as they would so many partridges if they had them squatting behind furze bushes, or dry-stone Dykes. "And wha' may this Dorcas, as ye ca' her be?" interjected the angry Laird of Hungry Knowes. Or rather what may be the amount o' her means and estate? That's the real root o' the matter I trow. For my ain part, I set but sma' value upon your hearts and darts, seeing that they are commodities which every kirkless preacher and road-side beggar claim as their perquisites, though they should na' hae twa' bawbees to j'ngle in an auld bat." to admit, that his charmer's comely face constiWith downcast eyes, poor John was constrained tuted the main bulk of her portion; and that when a brace of sparkling eyes, a nose of faultless shape, and a mouth which might create envy in the celestial bosom of Venus herself, were deducted, little remained to Dorcas except the raiment which sheltered her person from " summer's heat and winter's snow." Amidst all this virtuous furor, however, Gavin continued to inculcate patience and for"Awa' wi' your noses and een!" exclaimed the bearance, upon his young friend. He implored aggravated Dreghorn, "I would like to see sic him not to come to any open rupture with his fusionless sunkets furnish a hungry man wi' a relative till the last extremity, assuring him meal. When ye come hame frae a hard days that a will was in existence by which the domains wark will a row o' ivory grinders mak' up for the of Hungry Knowes were conveyed in perpetuity absence o' a haggis, or a dish o' Scot's collops? to John upon the demise of his uncle, "just haud A slabboring kiss may be a bonnie enough thing your whiesht, and bide your time" was the pru-in its way, (though I nee'r could see the virtue dent counsel of the invalid-"and wha kens but o't) but tell me, you muckle calf, will it supply the Laird may slip his tether some o' thae dark the place o' a jug fu' o' beer, or a tumbler o' mornins, and leave you, your ain Laird and master whisky toddy? Learn wisdom, ye born idiot, wi' power to wed the Queen o' Sheba, provided frae the wisest sang that ever that auld wig'ye think o'matching yoursel "wi' a heathen lim-maker Allan Ramsay composed: mer!" But matters were soon to be brought to a crisis. Mr. Dreghorn one day informed his nephew, that it was befitting the question should be popped to the excellent Prudence, who had for some time been prepared to have the matrimonial interrogation propounded unto her. "Gie me the lass with a lump o' land, And we for life shall gang thegither; Or black or fair, it mak's na whether. "Gie me a lass with a lump o' land, And in my bosom I'll hug my treasure; Should love turn dowf, it will find pleasure. Have lost the art of gaining affection; But weel-tocher'd lasses, or jointured widows." The recitation even of this most suggestive lyric, had no effect in shaking the resolution of the enamoured Embleton. Firmly, though respectfully he announced to his frowning uncle that he would prefer a crust of dry bread, aye or starvation itself, with Dorcas, to a coal pit replete with new minted guineas, if burdened with the sallow, parchment-like hand of Prudence M'Thrift. "By this blessed book I swear," continued the excited youth, "that all the powers of earth or perdition, shall never shake my resolution by one hairs breadth." So saying he gave the cover of the volume which he grasped, a thundering salute, and stood confronting his uncle as Saint George might have confronted the dragon; or Petruchio, the fair but vixenish Catherine. It so chanced that the osculated octavo turned out to be a copy of Burns' Poems, but the vow was not the less sincere on that account. David Dreghorn was for a season struck dumb by the contumacious audacity exhibited by a stripling who he had been in the habit of regarding as an obsequious and unreasoning dependant. Had one of his pigs become gifted with speech, and protested against the enormity of bipeds uplifting the knife against the bristle teeming tribe, he could not by any possibility his master, and when Dreghorn in compliance with the request entered the sick chamber, the invalid pled with might and main that he would rescind his determination. He dwelt upon the youth of John, and the comparative senectitude of Prudence. With indiguant eloquence did he enlarge upon the mercenary venditions of game, by which that spinster had disgraced her rank as a landed proprietress. Pathetically did he expatiate upon the memory of the Laird's departed sister, and upon the fact that Embleton was the sole being upon earth, within whose veins a drop of his blood did flow. In conclusion, the dying retainer made a recapitulation of his own faithful and slenderly remunerated services, conjuring his master by all these multiform considerations to re-admit John unconditionally into favour, and permit him to follow his own inclinations, so far as the choice of a wife was concerned. Knowes listen to these pleadings and abjurations, In dogged silence did the Laird of Hungry and when Gavin had ceased speaking, he coldly told him that having so little breath to spare, it was foolish to expend it on a bootless theme. "Park," quoth he, "by the farthing candle of my blessed grandfather, which he blew out with his last gasp because he could see to expire in the dark, and that is an oath, which you knoW right well I never broke; this ungrateful, rebellious dog shall never finger a boddle of my money. I have cast him off, once and forever, and if I beheld him to-morrow dying on my door-step, I would not toss one of the house dog's half-mumbled bones, to keep the wretch's body and soul in companionship. I hate him, Gavin, because he has thwarted my darling ind long cherished scheme of uniting the bonnie acres of Hungry Knowes and Glen Skinflint, and before I am a day aulder I shall let the hound ken to his cost what it is to anger a determined man-or a dour man, if ye like the word better. Cauld as is the weather, and snell as blaws the frosty December east wind, I shall set off for Aberdeen this blessed night. My will, as ye brawly ken, lies duly executed in the custodiership of Hercules Horning, and by that deed John Embleton is declared heir of a' I possess. Ere this time to-morrow, Gavin Park, I shall have signed a new testament in which the name of Embleton will only be introduced in order to let the world ken how intensely I loathe and abominate the same. By the Aberdeen mail coach, which passes the house at eight o'clock this evening, I shall depart on my errand of vengeance, and at this very moGavin Park having obtained an inkling of what ment Kirsty Sharn is engaging an out-side place had occurred, earnestly besought an audience of ❘ for me at the stage office. Oh, if I should by any have been taken more aback. No sooner had the senior recovered the use of his faculties than he proceeded to pass sentence upon the delinquent. That sentence, it is hardly necessary to say, was a doom of utter and absolute disinheritance. David vowed that sooner than permit Embleton to derive one morsel of sustentation from the lands of Hungry Knowes, he would with pleasure behold the aforesaid lands, together with all the crops, timber and dwellings thereon sunk "beyond plummet's reach" in the Red Sea, or the most insatiable peat bog of the Emerald Isle ! mishap render up the ghost without altering that will, I never could enjoy a moment's happiness in Heaven!" "Heaven!" shouted out the scandalised invalid hysterically. "Heaven did ye say? Ha-haha! * THE "NORTH-WEST" PASSAGE. THE late discovery of the "North West," or rather as it has been made the North East, passage, by Captain McClure, has induced us to give to our readers, this month, a short account of the various expeditions which have from time to time gone forth to attain this desirable end, concluding our observations with as full an account of McClure's voyage as our limits will permit. If explorations in the northern regions be useless in a pecuniary point of view, yet science has benefitted from them in the knowledge of facts which could by no other means be obtained. Their cost has, certainly, been great, but the results are such as reflect honor and credit on all engaged in them, besides affording a worthy memorial of the physical endurance and steady perseverance of human enterprise. The first navigator who appears to have had an idea of making a voyage of discovery in the Arctic Seas was Cabot, who landed at Labrador eighteen months before Columbus discovered the continent of America, he contemplated a voyage to the North Pole and reached as high as 67° 30′ north latitude. This was during the reign of Henry VII, in the fifteenth century. spring. However, his crew wearied with hardships and privations, mutinied and turned Hudson, his son, and seven others adrift in a small boat, and they are supposed to have perished miserably ac sea. "Of all the sea-shapes death has worn, May mariners never know Such fate as Hendrik Hudson found In the labyrinths of snow." Great hopes were entertained that through Hudson's Bay the North-West passage would be found, and a good deal was said by the partizans of contending voyagers on this question. Old Purchas writes: "As the world is much beholding to that famous Columbus, for that hee first discovered unto us the West Indies: and to Portugal for the finding out the ordinarie and as yet the best way that is knowne to the East Indies by Cape Bona Speranza; so may they and all the world be in this beholding to us in opening a new and large passage, both much neerer, safer, and farre more wholesome and temperate through the continent of Virginia, and by Fretum Hudson, to all those rich countries bordering upon the South Sea in the East and West Indies." During the next six years Sir Thomas Rowe's Welcome and Fox's Channel were discovered; and in 1616 Baffin sailed into and explored the bay, which has been named after him. This bay he reported as extending 800 miles in length and 300 in breadth, but his statement was disbelieved and set down as an exaggeration till late discoveries confirmed the accuracy of his surveys. Even the latitudes laid down by him are almost identical with those recently determined with all the advantages afforded by superior instruments. Frobisher made three voyages during the years Baffin saw Lancaster Sound, and had he explored 1576, '77 and '78, in search of a North-West pas-it, Parry's discoveries would have been anticipated sage, but having discovered the entrance to Hud- by two hundred years. son's Strait failed in penetrating further to the westward. Davis followed Frobisher, and in 1585-88 made three voyages and discovered the strait which still bears his name, thus opening the way into Baffin's Bay and the Polar Sea. In 1607, Henry Hudson, with only ten men and a boy made his first voyage and penetrated as far as 82° of north latitude, but failing to dis cover a westerly passage, returned and made a second voyage on the track of Barentz, who attempted eleven years previously the North-East passage between Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla; but Hudson, like Barentz, was unsuccessful. In 1610, he made a third voyage to the west, and discovered the strait and bay which are now known by his name. Assuming that through this bay was the much desired passage to be found, Hudson determined to winter here in order to renew his search early in the ensuing In 1743 a reward of £20,000 was offered by the Imperial Parliament to any one who should effect a North-West passage by way of Hudson's Strait, it being declared that this passage would be "of great benefit and advantage to the kingdom." However, afterwards, the clause that related to a passage by Hudson's Strait was altered to " any northern passage." £5,000 was also voted for any one who should get within one degree of the pole. Mr. Hearne, during 1769, and three following years, made three attempts to reach the Polar Sea by an overland journey across the territories of the Hudson's Bay Company, but was unsuccessful. The only remarkable feature in his explorations was the discovery, during his third journey, of the Coppermine River. In 1773 the Royal Society having received communications on the possibility of reaching the North Pole, Captain Phipps was sent out with two vessels to effect this interesting object. This expedition was unsuccessful, for after reaching 80° 48′ of latitude his vessels were stopped by the ice and he was compelled to return. The famous navigator Cook, in 1776, left England with instructions to effect a passage from Behring's Strait to Baffin's Bay. He, too, failed. Nor could he with all his perseverance get beyond Icy Cape in latitude 70° 45'. He here saw fields of ice stretching in one compact mass to the opposite continent which he also visited, sailing as far as Cape North. That Cook would have accomplished the object of his voyage appears to have been a very general impression, for in 1777, a Lieutenant Pickersgill was ordered to Baffin's Bay to await his arrival. After so many failures, the attempt to discover this passage was for several years abandoned; As striking a phenomenon in this part of the sea as are the great banks of weed, fucus natans, which float Azores and the Bahamas. As its name indicates, it with little or no change of place in the Atlantic, off the occupies a position in the middle of the bay, leaving a narrow channel on the eastern side, more or less encumbered with drift ice, while on the western side the this body of ice is supposed to be due to the action of sea is generally unobstructed. The local position of conflicting currents, which retain it pretty nearly in one spot. Whalers on meeting this ice pass round its northern extremity, which doubles the length of the voyage, but when possible, they endeavor to force their way through the lower portion of the pack. This was what Parry did, and after seven days unwearied exertions, he crossed the pack which was more than eighty miles in width. A clear sea was now before him, and by the end of July he was off the entrance of Lancaster Sound, waiting for an easterly breeze to carry him up. It came, and as Parry relates "It is more easy to imagine than to describe the almost breathless anxiety which was now visible in every countenance while, as the breeze increased to a fresh gale, we ran quickly up the sound. The mastheads were crowded by the officers and men during the whole afternoon; and an unconcerned observer, if any would have been amused by the eagerness with which could have been unconcerned on such an occasion, the various reports from the crow's nest were received, all, however, hitherto, favourable to our most sanguine hopes. We were by midnight in a great measure re tinuity of land at the bottom of this magnificent inlet, having reached the longitude of 83 deg. 12 min., where the two shores are still above thirteen leagues apart, without the slightest appearance of any land to the westward of us for four or five points of the compass." nor was it till 1817 that the attention of the Admiralty was again called to this subject by the reports of several Greenland whalers who stated that the sea was clearer of ice that season than any they had previously known. The Council of the Royal Society was consulted, and the result was that in 1818 two expeditions were fitted out, one for the discovery of the long sought for passage, the other to reach the pole. That intended for the former of these objects was intrusted to Captain (now Sir John) Ross and Lieutenant (now Sir Edward) Parry in command of the ves-lieved from our anxiety respecting the supposed consels Isabella and Alexander. The mildness of the season and open state of the sea augured much for the success of this expedition, and in August the ships sailed up Lancaster Sound with every prospect of an easy passage westward; but the commander fancying he saw a range of mountains in the distance barring all further progress was unwilling to advance, and retraced his steps homewards, thus throwing away one of the most favorable opportunities that had as yet presented itself to these daring navigators. The failure of this expedition demanded a renewal of the attempt, and on the 4th of May, 1819, two ships, the Hecla and Griper, sailed under the command of Captain Parry, with instructions to explore Lancaster Sound and to determine the existence of the mountains seen there by Cap-navigating an unknown sea. On the 22nd of tain Ross; for many, who had sailed with Ross denied their reality, affirming the supposed mountains to be an ocular deception. Every effort was made to enter on the field of their operations as early in the season as possible, and about the middle of July the ships were forced into the "Middle Ice" in Baffin's Bay. This collection of ice is described as Whilst proceeding up the Sound, an inlet was discovered running southward, and supposed to extend to the American continent, this was in turn explored until their passage was stoped by the ice, when they returned to Barrow's Straits. This channel they named Prince Regent's Inlet, and whilst making their survey of it they noticed a curious phenomenon, that of their compasses becoming useless, the needles losing their directive power and remaining in any position placed, showing their proximity to the magnetic pole. This effect added much to the difficulties in August another channel running northward was discovered, and clear of ice as far the eye could reach, but no attempt was made at its exploration, as Parry was anxious to proceed westward : it was simply called, Wellington Channel. Continuing their westerly course they passed a group of islands, now known as Parry's Islands; and, during this part of their voyage the needles were |