With the brightest of days and the ground in excellent condition, a good meet was to be expected, and accordingly fully thirty riders were at the appointed place—Overweg's Bungalow—at a quarter past 3 o'clock; lengthening days permitting a later start now than early in the season. The desire we expressed in our account of the New-Year's Day Hunt, that that ran might be repeated on an afternoon when tide suited, was gratified on this oconand soon after the word "go" was given, we found ourselves clearing comfortably the tidal ditch which on that day gave everyone such a so: There were still however one or two places which required a good run and a free jump to get quite over, and in one of these, just a mile or two from the start, several ponies stuck; and going on save the Venerable Frater, but all of them succeeded in getting out
who was left apostrophising his milk white steed and was seen no more of men.
'The winding course kept the pace moderate, but nevertheless, when the stone bridge' leading over the big creek was reached, the tailing had made considerable gaps between the riders, and none required to wait for others. Between this point and the Sicawei creek, which was also crossed by a stone bridge, we had some fencing, but none of the water jumps were at all trying, and the only excitement was caused by a gentleman from afloat, who, burnying across the flat, for a moment or two went a little' faster than his pony, but collected himself together again none' the worse for his somersault, Once clear of the orchards and vil which abound in the Pagoda country, the Hunt went on a good deal faster, and when the Shanghai side of the Sicawei creek was reached, a few of the riders took the road home instead of further trying their fortunes a-field. A milo past this we had a reasonable check, and when we got together, fully twenty riders were still to the fore.' The scent when found led across the road just beyond the Hermitage, where it took the same course as in several hunts this season, and we found ourselves on familiar ground. Between this and the Fa-hwa line another break of a few hundred yards in the paper kept the leaders from Tuning every one else out of sight, and when the end of the line was reached there was still a good field within view. At this point it has been usual to go to' the left, but the Foxes to-day went the opposite way and struck some less known country. The pace was now put on as we were nearing home, but we found there was still a considerable distance to cover, with numerous good jumps, one of them a bogey place where half a dozen stuck fast for some time. From this point the order of the finish was pretty well preserved; coming on to the Bubbling Well line, we gallopped home to the back of the Lawn, Mr. Bidwell on griffin first and Mr. Williams on a grey second, taking the light and heavy prizes. The ride was a very good one and the scent well laid throughout.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.