HUNTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 26

HUNTING.

BIRCHWOOD HOUNDS. The Birchwood hounds met at Heddon Bush on the 17th inst. For two days previously the weather looked threatening, but a , showery morning did not prevent a number of riders from finding their way to this favourite meet. Mr Tennant weloomed his guests with his usual cordiality, and after a capital hunt breakfast, the master mounted Sailor Boy, and was sooa surrounded by his hounds. Among those who intended to follow were Mr Frank Woodward, acting whip, on Sandy ; Jack Pye, on Maxwellton ; Mr Carnegie Gardner, on Wrypecker ; Miss Mary Gardner, on Robin; Mr Ritchie, on Ranger; Mr Tennant, on Tarquin; Mr C. H. M'Kinnon, on a chestnut ; Mr Stevens, on Mountaineer; Mr Hassall, on Bunyip; Mrs Bpencer, on Kitty; Mr SpeDcer, on Norah; Mr Jim Drabble, on Star ; Mr William "Drabble, on Bob; Mr John Basstian, on a bay ; Mr Groves, on a black ; Mr Sycomore, on a black ; and several others whose names I did not learn. The run on this occasion was over slightly different country. The hounds took up the line of scent in the home paddock, and led us straight to a gorse hedge, after whioh we turned away to the right to a double, crossing the road, a post-and-rails first, and then a big gorse hedge, Afc the posfc-and-rails I noticed "one rider on a black baulking a man in pink. Those who bring young untried animals into the hunting field should keep back, and not stop other people at their fences. I heard a good many of the baulking contingent crashing I and smashing in the big gorse fence behind us, but suppose most of them got through, as we heard the thunder of the heavy hoofs behind us as we made towards the woolshed, the hounds streaming far ahead. The field was beginning to straggle out a good deal by this time, and we took our horses easy at a log-filled gorse, and then away to the left to some hurdles. A couple of stiff gorse hedges follow in quick succession, and then we check in a big paddock and watch the Btragglera join up. At the pace the hounds had been going there was some danger of their overrunning the dragsmen, so they were given quarter of an hour's law. Away we went again, over some sloppy ground to another double, which only brought one man down, fortnnately without serious injury. We were now crossing grass paddocks, running parallel with the bush, divided by big gorse fences, all gaps built up with strong timber. Over one of these, bristling with wire, into Bayswater, and then turning to the right, over more gorse and capped 1 wire. At the last of these we jumped out on to the road line and found that the hounds had *un into tkeir quarry. However, 1 everyone wanted more, and another drag was laid, and a further run was enjoyed. Three cheers were then given for Mr Tennant and his big fences, for the master and his hounds, &c, and the field dispersed, all agreeing they had had a capital run.