PAKURANGA HOUNDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 197, 20 August 1900, Page 3

PAKURANGA HOUNDS.

"A hunting we will go; We'll catch a fox and put him In a box, And a hunting we will go."

What a pity we have no foxes! For "we've got the men, we've got the hounds and we've gdt the horses, too," If we may be allowed to parody the Jingo saying. And on Saturday they all went fast enough to suit the, speed of any fox. It was rather a pity that the run of the day came so late, for towards half-past four the ranks began to be thinned by the departure of those who have long distances to go, and only some thirty were able to follow the hare that started in one of Mr Moody's* front paddocks. She went right over the top of Mt. Rosklll, disturbing the equanimity of a flock of sheep that were just'thlnking' of betaking themselves to slumber on the summit of the mountain. With their lambs, they looked very comfortable, settled round the sides of the crater, a nice dry situation, the essence of perfection for young lambs. However, there was not much time to indulge in a..reverie on any of the details of a squatter's life; the urgent business was to follow that hare, even though she made for the Manukau. Fortunately she turned after reaching the Cliffs Road, and made through, or over, the Mission Swamp. Tlie hounds got over safely, but the riders—well, perhaps we ,can say that some of them did *actually get through, if by that expression we signify that they reached the other s,lde. It was remarkable to see the way their ambition died away at the sight of that swamp. All were eager to be first until that time, but when the first horse went in about four feet without apparently reaching anything to stop him sinking any further, and when . his rider emerged covered nearly up to his neck with black mud, it became a debatable question whether the game was worth the candle. Some-half-dozen tackled it, but only one was seated when the other side was reached, so the odds were in favour of leaving the mud bath severely alone, and another and longer way was found to again get even with the pack as they made up the mountain slopes and past tha homestead. That hare seemed to have a charmed life; for never hare ran so straight, away up to the Three Kings Road, back Into the flats, and across the drive as far as the road near Mr Greenwood's stables, where she was left to run on alone. The recital does not take long,'but the run occupied the best part of an hour, and' in the dusk, which was now drawing on, it was difficult to tell which predominated on our noble steeds, foam or mud. At any rate, it was time to cry off, and Mr Moody welcomed those of the followers who cared to adjourn to his house for refreshments. During the earlier part'of the day the chief interest centred in following the eccentricities of a hare that displayed a marvellous affection for MrH, Klnloch'B. scoria pit. He must have been training her for acrobatic* performances, for at one time she scaled the almost perpendicular side of the pit and completely baffled the-hounds. At another time it was thought that she had found refuge in a hole in the scoria, but as there was no ferret available; even if the rules of hunting allowed of such methods, that place had to remain unexplored. There was great fun in climbing those mountains; the grade is delightfully cheering to begin wit ( h, you continue by nearly falling into one of the numerous holes dug here and there in the most unlikely and mysterlou* places, and you finish up by triumphantly reaching the top only ; to find the hounds somewhere on the next peak, with perhaps a barbed wire fence' intervening. There were, of course, some good runs in the more level country; a strong hare took the field over the well-known jump near Mrs By croft's, where so many of the horses make a point of falling into the ditch on the other side of the wall. Another one started near the residence of Mr Morris, and showed the way,v through Mr Crawford's and into the property of Mr Ash, who kindly invited the members to afternoon tea. Prominent in the field, as usual, were Mr J. G. Ralph, the Master, on his good steed Kate, Colonel,Dawson (Ike) Mrs Crowe (Dick), , Mrs Moody (Mike), Mrs, Bloomfield ("Woodcock), Miss Nora Gorrle (Starlight)', Miss Amy Taylor (Tim), Miss Kerr-Taylor (Nlrhrod), Miss Roberts (Moilyhawk), Miss Buckland (Reporter), Miss Strlbley (Awatua), Messrs Lewis (Skipper), Kerr-Taylor (WbOdbine), Harvey (Cruiser), Burns (Squire), Moody (Oceola), Harris (Fairy), Klnloch (Specs), Morrln (Rona), Carminer (Ingorangl), Purchas (Neck or Nothing), Sphnackenberg (Dandy Dick),, Rae (Natation), Elliott (Bedrock), Waller (Cragsman),, Pittar, Somers, Walker, Neill, and Ellett. Next Saturday's meet takes place at Sylvia Park. . ■ ... . '

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