HUNTING. DUNEDIN HOUNDS,

Otago Witness, Issue 2058, 3 August 1893, Page 31

HUNTING. DUNEDIN HOUNDS,

On Tuesday, 25th, this pack met at the farm of MrM'Gregor, atCorstorphine, when most of the regular followers were present and a few ladies. The run was a very good one, and there were no spills, with the exception of James Hardy on Johnnie, who came to grief at M'Gregor's double ; but although the fall looked an ugly one, fortunately neither sustained any serious damage. 4 Saturday's meet at Mosgiel may be regarded as a red letter day in the annals of the doings of the Dunedin Hounds. The trusting place was near the racecourse, about a mile from the township, at the training establishment of Mr Thomas Cotton, who must have gone to endless trouble in preparing and securing the run, in addition to which both himself and Mrs Cotton treated theirnumerous visitors — allandsundry — rightroyally, and the ladies' comforts were looked after with a" welcome cup of tea, whioh was doubly acceptable as many had come long distances to see the sport. Of course his efforts must have lacked success had not the landowners met the efforts of the club to provide an afternoon's outing in the cream of the agricultural districts of New Zealand by conceding the use of their land in the most generous manner. The run was over the land of no lees than five different owners and occupants — namely, Messrs Cotton, Hislop, Todd, Brown, and Dryden,— and to these gentlemen is due the success of a run over some of the best country hunted over for a long time. The run was from the racecourse to near the railway station; Mosgiel, over a series of beautiful level paddocks, bounded by gorse hedges, which were trimmed down and flagged out similar to a steeplechase course. There were a few post and'rail fences, but only one or two which could be considered stiff. The pack (in charge of James Allen as huntsman on Potens, and Frank Smith, the whip, on Kelly) had been sept from the kennels early, and were located at the comfortable hostelry of' Mrs O'Kane, the wearers of the scarlet attracting a considerable amount of attention and gape seed from the rising generation of the township and district. At the time appointed for the throw off there must have been fully 150 horsemen and about 30 vehicles of different sorts wedged in the district roads, while every haystack and point of vantage for miles were ocenpied by spectators. So numerous waß theattendance, that to give one quarter of the names present is a task of which I am not capable. Mr Taggart was on Black Jack, the treasurer Rattler, Mr Roberts Young Talisman, the deputy-master (Mr R. Driver) Waitangi, Mr Marryatt Nellie, Mr Begg Hanlan, Mr M'Ardle Toprail, Mr James O'Donnell Tarn o' Shanter, Mr T. Cotton Highland Chief, Mr Reid Te Kooti, Mr J. Young Stonehenge, Mr R. Young Dun Joseph, a lad Miss Rose, Mr R. George Berwick, Mr Ruthven Buttercup, a farmer on Forward, Major Andrew Look-out, Mr Taylor Waitati, Mr Fred. Smith Polly, Mr Wright Numa. The ladies were represented by Miss Wright on Wallflower, Miss Carstain Coloraine, Miss George Cabin Boy, Miss Roberts Erin, Mrs Taggart Fancy, Miss Nicoll Bluebell, Miss Grant Chevy. The wheeled division- comprised ' Mr Robert Gawne and party,' Mrs Brent and friends, Mr Wilkie and friends, Mr Ivens and friends, Mr Duff and friends, Mr J. George and friends, Mr James Gow and friends, Mrs O'Kane and friends, also the hospitable waggonette and pair occupied by Mrs Silk and daughters^ - The third fence from Cotton's was a rasping gorse hedge. Highland Chief took it too carelessly, and was nearly down. The treasurer sent Rattler at it at top speed, and he must have cleared the topmost twig. Two fences further a farmer's horse declined to rise at his fence and came to grief, and another refused to any longer follow the music. At this juncture a welcome Check enabled the rear division to put in an appearance. The hounds Boon picked up the scent again. The field was then further reduced by the disappearance of Mr Marryatt and Polly over a high hedge. Mr Driver on Waitangi, Mr T. Cotton on The Chief, and the treasurer on Rattler were close up to James Allen. A post and rail gave some trouble, and there were clouts ominous of disaster, although I believe no one really fell. The finish was near the railway station, after a run of about three miles. _ After a Spell, a return run was made, in which about 14 followers took part, finishing at the starting point of the previous run. The jumping was good, the only spills being the treasurer on Rattler (who landed in a gorse hedge) and a farmer who essayed to be pilot, but whose vaulting ambition had a fall. After being refreshed by the good things so kindly provided by Mr and Mrs Cotton, the company dispersed. Nimhod.

Pig Swimming.— lt is reported in the Sussex Daily News that on June 7 a bet of £5 was decided in the canal at Chicheater, tbe subject of contention bsiog the ability of a pig to swim a mile. The necessary animal being procured, it was placed in the water at* Hunston Bridge, and accomplished the feat. No time was taken, so a "record" was' not established. An old fallacy exists that pigs in their efforts to swim " cut their throats " with their fore feet, and probably this accounts for the incredulity of the gentleman who lost his money- on this occasion.

Speed and Endurance.— English authorities say that if a greyhound, a racehorse, a good fox, a red deer, and afoxhound could be tried for speed, the greyhound would finish flrat and the foxhound last ; but;, if you tried them for endurance, the foxhound would probably beat nil others,