The Illustrated London Reading Book Part 16

Unpleased Llewellyn homeward hied, When, near the portal-seat, His truant Gelert he espied, Bounding his lord to greet.

But when he gained the castle-door, Aghast the chieftain stood; The hound was smear'd with gouts of gore-- His lips and fangs ran blood!

Llewellyn gazed with wild surprise, Unused such looks to meet; His favourite check'd his joyful guise, And crouch'd and lick'd his feet.

Onward in haste Llewellyn pa.s.s'd (And on went Gelert too), And still where'er his eyes were cast, Fresh blood-gouts shock'd his view!

O'erturn'd his infant's bed he found, The blood-stain'd cover rent, And all around the walls and ground With recent blood besprent.

He call'd his child--no voice replied; He search'd--with terror wild; Blood! blood! he found on every side, But nowhere found the child!

"h.e.l.l-hound! by thee my child's devour'd!"

The frantic father cried, And to the hilt his vengeful sword He plunged in Gelert's side!

His suppliant, as to earth he fell, No pity could impart; But still his Gelert's dying yell Pa.s.s'd heavy o'er his heart.

Aroused by Gelert's dying yell, Some slumberer waken'd nigh: What words the parent's joy can tell, To hear his infant cry!

Conceal'd beneath a mangled heap, His hurried search had miss'd: All glowing from his rosy sleep, His cherub boy he kiss'd!

Nor scratch had he, nor harm, nor dread; But the same couch beneath Lay a great wolf, all torn and dead-- Tremendous still in death!

[Ill.u.s.tration: SYRIAN WOLF.]

Ah! what was then Llewellyn's pain, For now the truth was clear; The gallant hound the wolf had slain To save Llewellyn's heir.

Vain, vain was all Llewellyn's woe-- "Best of thy kind, adieu!

The frantic deed which laid thee low, This heart shall ever rue!"

And now a gallant tomb they raise, With costly sculpture deck'd; And marbles, storied with his praise, Poor Gelert's bones protect.

Here never could the spearman pa.s.s, Or forester, unmoved; Here oft the tear-besprinkled gra.s.s Llewellyn's sorrow proved.

And here he hung his horn and spear; And oft, as evening fell, In fancy's piercing sounds would hear Poor Gelert's dying yell.

W. SPENCER.

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter T.]

The important feature which the Great Wall makes in the map of China, ent.i.tles this vast barrier to be considered in a geographical point of view, as it bounds the whole north of China along the frontiers of three provinces. It was built by the first universal Monarch of China, and finished about 205 years before Christ: the period of its completion is an historical fact, as authentic as any of those which the annals of ancient kingdoms have transmitted to posterity. It was built to defend the Chinese Empire from the incursions of the Tartars, and is calculated to be 1500 miles in length. The rapidity with which this work was completed is as astonishing as the wall itself, for it is said to have been done in five years, by many millions of labourers, the Emperor pressing three men out of every ten, in his dominions, for its execution. For about the distance of 200 leagues, it is generally built of stone and brick, with strong square towers, sufficiently near for mutual defence, and having besides, at every important pa.s.s, a formidable and well-built fortress. In many places, in this line and extent, the wall is double, and even triple; but from the province of Can-sih to its eastern extremity, it is nothing but a terrace of earth, of which the towers on it are also constructed. The Great Wall, which has now, even in its best parts, numerous breaches, is made of two walls of brick and masonry, not above a foot and a half in thickness, and generally many feet apart; the interval between them is filled up with earth, making the whole appear like solid masonry and brickwork. For six or seven feet from the earth, these are built of large square stones; the rest is of blue brick, the mortar used in which is of excellent quality. The wall itself averages about 20 feet in height, 25 feet in thickness at the base, which diminishes to 15 feet at the platform, where there is a parapet wall; the top is gained by stairs and inclined planes. The towers are generally about 40 feet square at the base, diminishing to 30 feet a the top, and are, including battlements, 37 feet in height. At some spots the towers consist of two stories, and are thus much higher. The wall is in many places carried over the tops of the highest and most rugged rocks; and one of these elevated regions is 5000 feet above the level of the sea.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MILITARY MANDARIN.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.]

Near each of the gates is a village or town; and at one of the princ.i.p.al gates, which opens on the road towards India, is situated Sinning-fu, a city of large extent and population. Here the wall is said to be sufficiently broad at the top to admit six hors.e.m.e.n abreast, who might without inconvenience ride a race. The esplanade on its top is much frequented by the inhabitants, and the stairs which give ascent are very broad and convenient.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHINESE SOLDIER.]

THE TOMBS OF PAUL AND VIRGINIA.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter T.]

This delicious retreat in the island of Mauritius has no claims to the celebrity it has attained. It is not the burial-place of Paul and Virginia; and the author of "Recollections of the Mauritius" thus endeavours to dispel the illusion connected with the spot:--

[Ill.u.s.tration: TOMBS OF PAUL AND VIRGINIA.]

"After having allowed his imagination to depict the shades of Paul and Virginia hovering about the spot where their remains repose--after having pleased himself with the idea that he had seen those celebrated tombs, and given a sigh to the memory of those faithful lovers, separated in life, but in death united--after all this waste of sympathy, he learns at last that he has been under a delusion the whole time--that no Virginia was there interred--and that it is a matter of doubt whether there ever existed such a person as Paul! What a pleasing illusion is then dispelled! How many romantic dreams, inspired by the perusal of St. Pierre's tale, are doomed to vanish when the truth is ascertained! The fact is, that these tombs have been built to gratify the eager desire which the English have always evinced to behold such interesting mementoes. Formerly only one was erected; but the proprietor of the place, finding that all the English visitors, on being conducted to this, as the tomb of Virginia, always asked to see that of Paul also, determined on building a similar one, to which he gave that appellation.

Many have been the visitors who have been gratified, consequently, by the conviction that they had looked on the actual burial-place of that unfortunate pair. These 'tombs' are scribbled over with the names of the various persons who have visited them, together with verses and pathetic e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns and sentimental remarks. St. Pierre's story of the lovers is very prettily written, and his description of the scenic beauties of the island are correct, although not even his pen can do full justice to them; but there is little truth in the tale. It is said that there was indeed a young lady sent from the Mauritius to France for education, during the time that Monsieur de la Bourdonnais was governor of the colony--that her name was Virginia, and that she was shipwrecked in the _St. Geran_. I heard something of a young man being attached to her, and dying of grief for her loss; but that part of the story is very doubtful. The 'Bay of the Tomb,' the 'Point of Endeavour,' the 'Isle of Amber,' and the 'Cape of Misfortune,' still bear the same names, and are pointed out as the memorable spots mentioned by St. Pierre."

[Ill.u.s.tration: Letter O.]

Oh! gentle story of the Indian Isle!

I loved thee in my lonely childhood well, On the sea-sh.o.r.e, when day's last purple smile Slept on the waters, and their hollow swell And dying cadence lent a deeper spell Unto thine ocean pictures. 'Midst thy palms And strange bright birds my fancy joy'd to dwell, And watch the southern Cross through midnight calms, And track the spicy woods. Yet more I bless'd Thy vision of sweet love--kind, trustful, true-- Lighting the citron-groves--a heavenly guest-- With such pure smiles as Paradise once knew.

Even then my young heart wept o'er this world's power, To reach and blight that holiest Eden flower.

MRS. HEMANS.

THE MANGOUSTE.

The Mangoustes, or Ichneumons, are natives of the hotter parts of the Old World, the species being respectively African and Indian. In their general form and habits they bear a great resemblance to the ferrets, being bold, active, and sanguinary, and unrelenting destroyers of birds, reptiles, and small animals, which they take by surprise, darting rapidly upon them. Beautiful, cleanly, and easily domesticated, they are often kept tame in the countries they naturally inhabit, for the purpose of clearing the houses of vermin, though the poultry-yard is not safe from their incursions.

The Egyptian mangouste is a native of North Africa, and was deified for its services by the ancient Egyptians. Snakes, lizards, birds, crocodiles newly hatched, and especially the eggs of crocodiles, const.i.tute its food. It is a fierce and daring animal, and glides with sparkling eyes towards its prey, which it follows with snake-like progression; often it watches patiently for hours together, in one spot, waiting the appearance of a mouse, rat, or snake, from its lurking-place. In a state of domestication it is gentle and affectionate, and never wanders from the house or returns to an independent existence; but it makes itself familiar with every part of the premises, exploring every hole and corner, inquisitively peeping into boxes and vessels of all kinds, and watching every movement or operation.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE MANGOUSTE.]

The Indian mangouste is much less than the Egyptian, and of a beautiful freckled gray. It is not more remarkable for its graceful form and action, than for the display of its singular instinct for hunting for and stealing eggs, from which it takes the name of egg-breaker. Mr.

Bennett, in his account of one of the mangoustes kept in the Tower, says, that on one occasion it killed no fewer than a dozen full-grown rats, which were loosened to it in a room sixteen feet square, in less than a minute and a half.