have become historical, when so many
similar productions have perished. The stories in the first six
chapters, which formed the original book, are superior to those in the
continuation; there is always something specious, some ground work for
the gross improbabilities, which gives force to them. Thus, for
instance, travelling in Poland over the deep snow he fastens his horse
to something he takes to be a post, and which turns out to be the top of
a steeple. By the morning the snow has disappeared--he sees his mistake,
and his horse is hanging on the top of the church by its bridle. When on
his road to St. Petersburgh, a wolf made after him and overtook him.
Escape was impossible.

"I laid myself down flat in the sledge, and let my horse run for
safety. The wolf did not mind me, but took a leap over me, and
falling on the horse began to tear and devour the hinder part of
the poor animal, which ran all the faster for its pain and terror.
I lifted up my head slily, and beheld with horror that the wolf had
ate his way into the horse's body. It was not long before he had
fairly forced himself into it, when I took my advantage and fell
upon him with the end of my whip. This unexpected attack frightened
him so much that he leaped forward, the horse's carcase dropped to
the ground, but in his place the wolf was in harness, and I on my
part whipping him continually, arrived in full career at St.
Petersburgh much to the astonishment of the spectators."

Speaking of stags, he mentions St. Hubert's stag, which appeared with a
cross between its horns. "They always have been," he observes, "and
still are famous for plantations and antlers." This furnishes him with
the ground-work of his story.

"Having one day spent all my shot, I found myself unexpectedly in
presence of a stately stag looking at me as unconcernedly as if it
had really known of my empty pouches. I charged immediately with
powder and upon it a good handful of cherry stones. Thus I let fly
and hit him just in the middle of the forehead between the antlers;
he staggered, but made off. A year or two afterwards, being with a
party in the same forest, I beheld a noble stag with a fine
full-grown cherry tree above ten feet high between its antlers. I
brought him down at one shot, and he gave me haunch and cherry
sauce, for the tree was covered with fruit."

In h