HUNTING THE PAKURANGA HOUNDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 427, 29 September 1898, Page 9

HUNTING

THE PAKURANGA HOUNDS.

TBy

a Huntsman.]

The early part of the day was not promising for hunting on September 10, rain falling heavily. The meet was at Mangere Pound for Ihumata. Only a few of the regular followers turned up to time, and, when the first hare was found on Mr Gavin Wallace’s scoria paddocks, there were not more than a dozen out. "We had a nice run from the beach to .the Maori settlement, and thence to the beach. Here we changed to a to a fresh hare, which ran the same line as the first, but went on over Mr Paul’s farm on to Mr G. Wallace’s, when the hounds ki led. We then went back over the mountain, and, not finding, drew towards the place we had left our first hare, and found her right out on the stones at the edge of the tide. 'The scent being fair, the hounds hunted nicely up to the Maori settlement, and then up the road. Here the hounds were interfered with by a number of late arrivals, who were in the road, and, instead of getting on to the side of the road, as is the rule in the hunting field in the Old Country, and giving the hounds a chance to keep on the line, these late arrivals kept fairly in the middle of the road, and the pack had to work their passage through the horses. Fortunately no hounds were hurt, and the hare was seen to cross the road about 200yds higher up. The hounds were soon on the line, and hunted slowly back over the mountain on to Messrs Beanie and Montgomery’s

farms, and thence to where we found. Here we killed in the rough stone on the beach. . A fair run, but a little too slow for hard riding, and jumping divisions. We now drew towards Mr Ellet’s mountain, and found at once, and ran towards the swamp, and round the mountain to the sheep yards. Here the scent failed entirely, a view holloa once more put us on better terms, but still the scent was not at all good. After hunting slowly back to the mountain, we lost, and the hounds were taken home. The kind hospitality of Mrs Ellet was very much appreciated, she providing afternoon tea for the ladies, and something a little stronger for the gentlemen. Hospitality of this kind makes a long journey home appear a short one. The following Wednesday, September 14, the meet was at Otahuhu. From there we went on to Mr T. Woods’ farm on the Mangere Road, and were informed by his manager that we should find in the big paddock, and so we did, and ran on to Mr Massey’s swamp. Here, to our surprise, we found a large party of coursers had taken possession with their greyhounds, so we went on to Messrs Grey Bros’, farm, and found at once; but, as the coursing party had followed us on to the mountain, and let their greyhounds go after our hunted hare, we had a consulation, and decided not to hunt if the coursers stayed. As they said they would leave, we drew the gorse at the far side of the swamp, and found, and had a very nice fast run round by the creek on to Mr Gill’s, and through Messrs Grey’s stack yard and back to the creek, where we killed. As our coursing friends had not left, we decided to do so, and went to Mr Woods’ farm, and soon found, and had a fast run over Messrs Grey, sen.’s, and Thompson’s farms over the railway line, and then crossed the Otahuhu and Mangere Roads, over the railway again on to and round the racecourse, back to the road through Mr Thompson’s big paddock, and over the road at the far end on to Mr Sims’. Here the hounds had a kill all by themselves. An unjumpable and unfordable creek stopped the few followers that were now out. Another hare got up just as the hounds had broken up the other one, and ran back to Mr Grey, sen.’s, and to Mr Woods’. The scent now was not good, the hounds having been over the ground so many times, and the pack were taken home. As the Avondale Racing Club had put on their programme a Hunt Club Steeplechase for Sep. 17 and a Hunt Club Hurdle Race for the

following Wednesday, the hounds did not hunt on those days, but were out on Monday, Sep. 19, and met at the Three Kings, having bad luck all theough the day. The first misfortune was to one of Mr Moody’s horses, which ran into a wire fence, and was with great difficulty extricated. As soon as we found a hare it came on to rain in torrents, so that the hounds could not hunt, and then one of the best bitches in the pack was found to be poisoned. After dosing her, another was seen to be looking very queer, but was taken in time and has since recovered. One good bitch has not been seen since, and another has been very ill. What with the weather and our misfortunes it seemed to take all the go out of us all, and had it not been for the refreshments Mr and Mrs Moody dispensed among us we shouldjhave had a most dismal day indeed. ' On Saturday, September 24, the meet was at the Scotch Church, Papatoitoi, on Mr McLaughlin’s (our Master) estate. The day was not favorable, a high wind blowing until late inthe afternoon. Hares were plentiful, but did not run well. After killing three about the mountain at the back of the house, we went on to the other part of the estate, near Mr White’s mountain, and found, but taking a very bad line and crossing an unfordable creek the hounds were whipped off, and in doing so another hare • came from the gorse and crossed the creek on to the scoria, and then gave us a nice round back to the creek and over, the scent being fairly good. The hounds hunted beautifully and forced puss through the gorse and ti-tree, out over some grass and young oat paddocks. It was a pretty sight to see the pack hunt over these fields altogether and going fast. Then the hare got up j just in front of the pack and ran in view back to the gors* and over the creek, and thence on to the scoria again. We unfortunately changed on to a fresh hare, and as it was then five o’clock we whipped off and returned to the house, where we found something to keep the cold wind out.