It

abounds in caves and subterraneous passages, where the bones of the millions who once worshipped on Mount Moriah are whitening. It has been often a matter of surprise to travellers that so many skulls should be heaped together in one cave. is explained in the Talmud,* which informs us that it was the custom of the Jews to bury their dead in a particular place, and after the flesh was destroyed, to gather the bones together, and deposit them in some vault. Many families had their own vault.

THE TWO LIONS AND THE BOAR.

ONE moonlight night, I had taken my position on a high rock, which overhung a fountain and a small marsh, a favourable spot with our hunters to watch for boars, which resorted thither to drink and rest.

what we call the Pentateuch,

* The Talmud was a book regarded with great veneration by the Jews. It was composed of two parts: one was called the Mishna, which signifies a second law; the other the Gemara, or a supplement or commentary. They suppose that God first dictated the text of the law to Moses, which he commanded him to write, and that this forms or the five books of Moses. This the Jews term the written law. They further say that the Almighty explained everything contained in it to Moses, which he ordered to be committed to memory. Now this explanation is called the oral law. When a great many years had gone by, certain Jews committed to writing what could be remembered of the oral law, and thus the Mishna was formed. Afterwards a commentary upon it was written, which was called the Gemara, which, with the Mishna, constitutes the Talmud.

The moon had traversed half the heavens, and I, tired with waiting, had fallen into a doze, when I was roused by a rustling in the wood, as on the approach of some large animal. I raised myself with caution, and examined the priming of my gun, ere the animal entered the marsh. He paused, and seemed to be listening, when a half growl, half bark, announced him to be a boar; and a huge beast he was, and with stately step walked into the place.

I could now see by the bright moon, as he neared my station, that his bristles were white with age, and his tusks gleamed like polished steel among the dark objects round him. I cocked my gun, and waited his approach to the fountain.

Having whetted his ivory tusks, he begun to root: but he appeared to be restless, as if he

knew some enemy were at hand; for every now and then, raising his snout, he snuffed the air.

I marvelled at these movements; for as the breeze came from a quarter opposite to my position, I knew I could not be the object of the boar's suspicions.

Now, however, I distinctly heard a slight noise near the edge of the marsh: the boar became evidently uneasy, and one might fancy that he said within himself again and again, " I hope there is no treachery."

Keeping a sharp look-out on the spot where I heard the strange noise, I could at last distinguish the grim and shaggy head of a lion crouching upon his fore-paws, and with eyes that glared like lighted charcoal through the bushes, he peered at the movements of the boar. I looked again,

and now I could see him plainly creeping, cat-like, on his belly, as he neared the boar, which was busy rooting, but with bristles erect, and now and then muttering something in a low growl, which I could not understand.

The lion had crept within about twenty feet of the boar, but was hidden in part by some rushes. I waited, breathless, for the result; and although myself out of danger, I trembled with anxiety at the terrible scene.

The boar again raised his snout, and half turned his side towards the lion, and I imagined I could see his twinkling eye watching the enemy. Another moment, and the lion made a spring, and was received by the boar, as he reared himself on his hind-legs. I thought I could hear the blows of his

tusks, as the combatants rolled on the ground. Leaning over the rock, I strained my eyes to see the result. To my surprise, the boar was again on his legs, and going back a few paces, rushed at his fallen foe: a loud yell was given by the lion, which was answered by the distant howling of the jackals. Again and again the ferocious boar charged, till he buried his very snout in the body of the lion, which was kicking in the agony of death. Blood indeed flowed from the sides of the boar, but his bristles still stood erect, as he triumphed over the sultan of the forest; and now he seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. Trembling with dread, I threw myself flat on my face, and cried out, "He will soon reach me on the rock." I recovered my courage, and looked again. The boar had returned to his natural size, and was slaking his thirst in the fountain.

Soon after this, he was again busied rooting in the marsh, when another slight noise, as of a rustling in the wood, attracted my notice, and I could perceive the smooth head of a lioness looking with surprise and horror at the body of her dead

mate.

The boar stamped his hoofs and gnashed his tusks again with rage; his grisly bristles, red with the blood of her mate, stood on end; then lowering his snout, he rushed headlong against the lioness, which, springing aside, avoided the dread blow. A cloud came over the moon; I could not see distinctly, but I heard every blow of the paw, and every rip of the tusk. There was a dead silence:

the cloud passed, again the heavens were clear, and I saw the lioness with her fore-paws on the body of the boar.

I seized my gun, and aimed at her head: that was her last moment.

The morning dawned.

I descended from the rock. The claw of the lioness still grasped, in death, the body of the boar. Many severe wounds showed that he had again fought bravely.

The lions were the finest I ever saw, and I made good profit by that night's work.-Hay's Western Barbary: its wild Tribes and savage Animals.

SABBATH EXERCISES.
EXERCISE I.-JANUARY 11th.
Acts i. 1-12.

THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST.

VERSES 1, 2. Of what did the former treatise of Luke give an account? Until when? Can you tell me who Theophilus was?

Ver. 3. What did Jesus do after his passion? How long did he remain with his disciples?

Ver. 4. What commandment did Jesus give to his Apostles? What do you mean by the promise of the Father?

Ver. 5. With what did John baptize? With what was Jesus to baptize?

Ver. 6. What question did the Apostles put to our Lord when they were come together? What kingdom?

Ver. 7. What reply did Jesus make?