were off by sunrise; and coming out at French Town, on the Elk, at the head of the Chesapeake (in Maryland), steamed it away to Baltimore in no time.

This is the most Catholic city in the Union, after New Orleans; and here Major Muslin-(such was my owner's name, taking his rank from the 2nd corps of Lexington Volunteer Sharp-shooters)-here, I say, he might have had absolution: but he made a point of never confessingand, sooth to say, I never could discover that he belonged to any religion whatever. As he had left my case in the valley, I now stood naked in any corner-in that of his bed-room at the Indian Queen, where he put up; but he made no stay, thinking he was not yet quite secure from pursuit. I was told he went to the play-house to see Mr. Charles Kemble and his daughter act; but as he grinned at fictitious tragedies, with his own so recent on his memory, he contented himself with kicking up a row in the box lobby, and not having me at hand, made use of an inferior machine he always carried in the breast-pocket of his coat, called a dirk. However, as he got back to his rum sling by midnight, I conclude there was no harm done; a bit of a turn-up in the crowd, and a blow or a prick here or there, making, as he observed, "no odds."

As they could not " entertain man and horse" on the new Wheeling Railroad, we struck to the left through parts of Virginia, and over the Blue Ridge. Going along, he sent me, for fun, flying into the hindquarters of an unhappy bear, in the act of coming down a tree from the robbery of a wild bee-hive. Bruin did not at all relish it, but limped off, and was out of sight in a twinkling. At last we arrived at that paradise of liberty and slavery-Maddisonville. If foolish people say they cannot amalgamate, let them go there! Those, too, whose liberty is too much curbed at New York or Liverpool, let them seek this great entrepôt of heroic freedom. Tenesee, Ohio, nay, Missouri, are as nothing! Cowskins, dirks, and an inferior set of my own brethren rifles, are here in constant requisition. Massa Quambo gets the first article gratis-the other two the citizens help each other to on all proper occasions. I cannot say I was honoured by this propinquity; to be exchanged from one corner to another seemed to be still my lot, for the Major was never long from behind his counter during the day, except just ten minutes at meal-times at the taverns, where half the male part of the town boarded, as is the custom in the Union, and hung out their evenings at their respective bars.

I was getting rusty at this sort of work, when to my surprise one day, about three in the afternoon, the Major suddenly ran up stairs, and snatching me up, loaded me with great despatch, though with all necessary care and respect-for it is well known our race are never to be trifled with. I had hardly reached the street, across his arm, when I perceived the cause of this energy on his part, in the shape of a gentleman, one Colonel Wide-awake, similarly armed, who kept a store not far off, between whom and the Major there had, I was told, existed a rivalry and grudge of long standing, concerning two articles very much in request: the one was a fine young girl they were both sparking, who could not for the life of her decide between them, so even balanced were their merits!—the other motive was a lot of figured muslins which the Major had got of a more modern pattern, and of the very last cargo from

Bristol, selected with the highest judgment from the most dashing samples in Regent-street. Now the Colonel's last stock was four months old, and voted quite unfashionable by all the belles of the town. This had occasioned a sneer at the bar after dinner-hard names and complicated oaths ensued-and each surrounded by their respective friends and partizans-it was agreed (who's afraid?) to decide the question at once and for ever by the duello!

It was first proposed to fight this match with two kegs of gunpowder (out of their own stores)-to be seated thereon close together-their left hands grasped together, and a lighted cigar in each right hand-the bung of each keg to be taken out-setting fire to each other's seat to be ad libitum. This mode was considered vigorous, and no mistake! but was over-ruled, as not affording so much fun to the by-standers. Dirks were next proposed, hand-in-hand, as in the last way, and so work away at each other till one or the other was sick of it; still, that was considered as too quick an operation. Pistols were not thought of, as perfectly antediluvian and childish. Well, the rifle-mode, dodge and "tree it," was at last agreed on, and I was forthwith loaded. The whole party going about a mile outside the town to a thinned wood, clear underfoot, where the combatants could close, take the tree (that is, get behind), retreat, fire, load and fire at each other, grey squirrel fashion-happy go lucky!-not but that the principals themselves begged hard to take it out, stand and fire, in an open corn field, at fifty yards but the seconds (there were eighteen or twenty on a side) cruelly refused to indulge them. Arrived at the wood, trees were selected, and the heroes posted (treed, I may say). My master, the Major, got behind a maple; the Colonel was behind a live oak, twenty yards off! we could just see a bit of his hat; both us rifles were down, and on the look-out; both men kept shy. The by-standers, who at a little distance had all got treed in the same way to avoid the shots, grew impatient. Twenty voices cried out-"Halloo, I say, Colonel-Major -come, be alive-show-show-the first crack's nothing!" Put on their mettle, they both levelled; we made various feints; but the Major could never get more than the eye and ear, and half the nose, of the Colonel outside the bark!-exactly the same with the other. The vociferations were redoubled-they could stand this no longer. The Colonel made a bolt to get on the Major's flank, and to a pine tree, trusting to the intervening trees; the third step, and the Major drew my` trigger; but I did no more than graze the Colonel's back-bone-who now advanced right on us. There was an immense cheering at this,and I, still smoking and helpless, thought it was all up with my master; but no,-the Colonel still came on-levelled right at him. The Major, who could'nt re-load, so hard pressed, hugged his tree, till the muzzle of his foe's piece was within two yards. They were now swearing at each other of the d-dest. The Major made a grab to turn the muzzle, and got the ball partly up his arm and shoulder, making an ugly ploughing piece of work of it-at which he cried "hah!" He tried hard to reload me-both within two yards of each other-the Colonel was before him-his arm was so disabled, but he was game-my cap was in his mouth, and his finger already on it-when the other shot him like a dog right through the head. I was dropped on the ground, when the Major

fell at his feet-but not without a convulsive grasp at his dagger, and an attempt to rush on his enemy; but he was dead. As he fell, the wood rang with a loud hurrah! The more immediate friends of my master, shouldering his dead body, laid him on his own counter. I was picked up by one of the party; and observed that the triumphant Colonel grew very stiff in the back, as they helped him on his horse for a ride into the next State of Tennesee, for a little while, till the thing had blown overnot that there was any stir. His chief mourners were his slaves, who howled a little (to make believe) over his coffin.

I was, at the auction that ensued, sold in a lot by myself, as the rifle that had "crippled Colonel Wide-awake for life:" for it seems I had, in my passage across his back, hurt the spine-so that the poor devil's lot was even less enviable than the Major's! It was not my fault. Had he moved the least pulsation less fast as he darted from his tree, I should have been through his heart! Strange to say, though this town is not in the far West quite, I was bought by an English gentleman on his travels, who had got so far on his way back from the Mississippi to New York. I forgot to mention I had now risen in estimation, and was knocked down-as the auctioneer vouched for my being an out-andouter that cost one hundred and fifty dollars (first chop), at Gilbert's store at Rochester-I was knocked down, dog cheap, at one hundred dollars the man of the hammer protesting he was hurting the estate in letting me go so very much under prime cost! I was not displeased at being at last in the hands of a foreign gentleman. He had but one or two faults: he was weak enough to scribble his travels, when he got back to England, embellished, after the fashion of some others, with funny lithographs; he was a good fellow, but his book was a very commonplace heavy affair; he made nothing, for instance, of this grand duelmerely saying, "the men shot each other, and one (he believed!) died before the other!" The other fault was, that he never could see the plainest thing, except through a contemptible little utilarian pocketglass! tinged with all sorts of dull colours-with yet not one of the rainbow!-so, too, all things appeared at an obtuse angle. This he called the greatest happiness principle,' which he said he had discovered on the Wabash, where poor Mr. Owen's visions attained the shape of sundry buildings now going to decay.

These muddy optics pervaded his book; but there were a great many astonishingly clever fellows who called it seeing things en couleur de rose, which to plainer capacities seemed of no colour at all. There was one other weakness, hardly worth naming-he fancied he was a good marksman with me in his hand; but he always went as wide of the mark as when he simply took aim with his pen !-however, it must be said, he never did any harm (by good luck) with either of us. I was carefully put up at New York, in a splendid curled maple case: and in twenty days reached the old country, and landed at Gravesend, where I could perceive, whatever raptures my master feigned elsewhere, here they were real-which was extremely natural. For my part, I have been so constantly in-doors, except when taken out to show some particular friend after dinner (in Brook-street), that I have seen nothing worth relating; and yet so strong is the itch on me for scribbling, that like a worthy naval character I have heard of, who having described some things he knew

of well enough, and his yarn being received favourably, he suddenly imagined there was nothing in reality or in fiction beyond his extraordinary talent! The consequence was, a rare jumble of dullness inflicted on the town, in various ponderous tomes, in which fiction and fact were so dreadfully at loggerheads that nothing could have reconciled them but the heavy load of dullness laid on to keep them quiet, at least! So, too, I fear, though I may describe a passing scene or two before my eyes, across the Atlantic, yet that I should make rare hash of it did I attempt to describe things of pure fiction, or as I have heard of them, in this vast city. I begin to be reconciled to my curled maple case. I was even annoyed at being offered to the Admiralty by way of pattern for sea-going rifles-to be fabricated at just as little expense as the clumsy good-for-nothing muskets now in use,-nay, even the art of hitting a man at two hundred yards, at sea, was proposed to be taught the tars of the fleet; but happily their Lordships (from humane motives) turned a deaf ear to such dangerous suggestions, and I got off from a very irksome, and, to me, (a free-born American!) ignoble task. Besides, I have the pleasure of knowing that the superiority in our way will remain the longer with the land of the "Star-spangled Banner,' fig for their Lordships and humanity!)

N.B.-I can be loaded fifty times with a flask of powder, so small as to be handily carried in a dandy's waistcoat pocket. Gilbert, of Rochester, (New York,) has the highest reputation in the Union for us Gentlemen Rifles.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FORMING A LOCAL AND TEMPORARY POLICE FROM THE OUT-PENSIONERS.

Number of Out-Pensioners as per Army Estimates 1835,-80,740. The out-pensioners are at present paid their pensions quarterly in advance at the Excise-Office in the principal towns; and as the Recruiting and Militia Staff are generally stationed there also, it is recommended that at every payment of the pensions the staff should attend.

A classification of the out-pensioners should be made agreeable to the strength of the staff at the station; and to each class or squad of sixty or eighty pensioners should be attached a non-commissioned officer, to be called a superintendent. These superintendents should witness, and sign as such, the certificate of payment, which is to be delivered to the Collector of Excise, and also to keep returns of the pensioners of their squads. The superintendents to report to the officer of the division, and the officer to the magistrate or deputy-lieutenant of the district, who, in case of riot, may be authorised to order them to be assembled at their place of rendezyous, where they would be met by the superintendents, and be in readiness to be sworn in as special constables by the magistrates, in which case there should be issued to them staves, and also a distinguishing strap to be worn on their arm, similar to those of the London police.

It is well known to every military man at all acquainted with the habits of old soldiers, that, in case of riot, if they are not under control, and employed on one side, they will join the other. This has been proved by indisputable testimony at the riots at Nottingham, in Wales, at Bristol, and other places. In addition to the eighty thousand seven hundred out-pensioners of Chelsea, there are also the out-pensioners of the Royal Marines, likewise

the registered men, and the men discharged on gratuities, making at least one hundred thousand discharged soldiers. Is it not therefore desirable that they should be under a certain degree of control, when it can be effected at a very small expense? Indeed, if the pension which is now paid quarterly in advance could be paid monthly, it would be more beneficial to the pensioner, and a saving to the public. The saving occasioned by the men who die in the two first months of the payment, which in such a number as eighty thousand must be considerable, and more than sufficient to pay the superintendent for extra duty.

Having been twenty years Commandant of the Invalid Depôt, during which time at least nine-tenths of these pensioners were invalided by me, and being, from experience, acquainted with their feelings and capability, I respectfully offer the above suggestions; and should they be taken into consideration, and likely to be adopted, I can draw out more explicitly Forms of Returns, &c. &c., which may be required.

Classification of the 80,740 Out-Pensioners:

1st Class-Fit for garrison duty.

ARCHD. CHRISTIE, Col.

2nd Class-Fit for garrison duty, but in consequence of having children under fourteen years of age, to be employed only locally.

3rd Class-Fit for local duty.

4th Class-Totally unfit.

N.B. In such places where there is neither a Recruiting nor a Militia Staff there are always half-pay officers and serjeants on the pension list, who could be employed.

MEMOIRS OF GENERAL AND FLAG-OFFICERS RECENTLY DECEASED.

THE LATE COLONEL DANIEL MACKINNON OF THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS.

WE feel ourselves justified in classing the late Colonel Mackinnon, as Brigadier of the Coldstream, under the above head.

Singular instances have occurred of individuals exposed to the greatest dangers, escaping them entirely. If the risks incurred and the dangers encountered by this officer were enumerated it might appear rather extraordinary that we should have to record his death at the present time, after so many years have elapsed since the gallantry of Britons achieved those victories which will be the wonder and exultation of their descendants.

Daniel Mackinnon, a name equally known and beloved by every officer who served in the Peninsular campaigns and at Waterloo, was born in 1791, being the second son of the late William Mackinnon, the chief, head or laird, of an ancient clan of that name in the Western Highlands of Scotland. At the age of fourteen he was gazetted as an Ensign in the Coldstream, in which regiment he remained the entire of his remaining life, and of which he had been Commanding-Officer for some years. From the moment the young ensign joined the regiment he was peculiarly noticed by his brother officers, and beloved by all ranks for those qualities which he possessed in a singular degree, of good-nature, bravery, and activity. Shortly after he joined in 1805, the regiment was ordered to Bremen, to make part of the expedition at that time fitting out by this country to cooperate with the Prussians and other allies against Napoleon. In this expedition little scope was given to the sons of Britain to show themselves, as they did not get sight of an enemy. After the return of the Coldstream, that battalion to which Ensign Mackinnon was attached sailed in 1807 for Copenhagen; after the capture of that place returned to England; and in 1809 embarked for the Peninsula, where it was brought into active service. Here the young officer, who had attained the rank of Lieutenant in