Hunting.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5007, 15 May 1889, Page 2

Hunting.

[CONTEIBUTED.]

That the hunting season is again in full swing, was manifest to the Waimate folks on Saturday morning by tho reappearance of tho hounds, and tho old familiar sound of the horn. It was noticed with satisfaction that the club had again secured the services of Charlie Cornelius, their popular huntsman of last season. He is so well known it hardly needs mentioning that with him in charge of the pack followers are sure of plenty of sport and a straight lead. He is mounted this season on Mr Bhodes’ Ben H., well known also in this district, and who proved on Saturday that his ] reputation was well merited. Other arrangements are tho same as last year, with tho exception that a change has been made in the whip. Tho meet on Saturday was at Mrs Price’s, Downlands. A considerable number assembled and partook of tho lunch which was so kindly provided. After full justice

had been done to this, tho pack was led out to one of the paddocks between the house and the main entrance gate, but the search there proving unsuccessful, they were nest tried on tho higher paddocks where hares seemed to be quite as scarce. The huntsman here showed the jumping powers of his horse by taking a high five-barred gate in beautiful style, tho whip (Butt'erwortb), on Gabriel Junks, following suit over the wire fence. Very shortly after this a hare was found, arid took across the road, on each side of phioh the gorse fences were of moderate height. After a run across the next paddock she doubled back again and then took over in the direction of tho river. A very high gorse fence was one of tho obstacles in this run. The height evidently appeared rather formidable to most of the horses, but those who did jump went over in grand stylo, leaving no sign of a gap for tho others. Those who followed the huntsman here we Messrs Price, on a grey horse, Davis, on a creamy, and Baker, on “ Charlie.” The rest got into the running by jumping a gorse and wire fence Into the road. The hare then got into the paddock next tho river and the scoot was lost. It was picked up shortly, however, and the next run wag back to the road and the two paddocks,

previously crossed, and into a paddock in turnips. Hero the hare was again lost, and the pact brought back to tlio grass paddocks and afterwards to the plantation near the house whore a hare was found and killed, never having a chance. There was afterwards a short run down ono of the paddocks and back over various hedges into the plantation, and the proceedings closed. The day’s sport was very enjoyable on the whole. The scent, however, was very difficult to trace owing to the slight breeze that got up, and the runs were consequently rather short, but as they took in a considerable number of jumps there was plenty of fun, the gorao fences on the roads making splendid doubles. The attendance was not as good as might have been expected, but this was no doubt owing to the rain of the two days previous and to the condition of the ground in consequence. Amongst those present there were in addition to those already mentioned Messrs Barclay on a grey colt, M. O’Brien on Benatto, E. O’Brien on a bay eolt, P. Jones on Coryphee, E. Bickman on Eaincliffe, W. M. Hamilton on a bay colt, 0. Beckett on East Lynn, Gunn on Sefton, A. Slee on a black colt, and several others whose names our correspondent was unable to obtain.