The first meet of the season was held on Saturday, being favoured with resplendent an unclouded sky, brilliant sun, in fact @ kind of day that is often experienced in early May, but not frequently in the last week of a North-China November. The genial influence brought together one of the largest. ass Dlages of huntamen and spectators ever seen at one time a i. The Indic we were lad to a present in strong force, and although and there might be n'a winter costume, the majority were attired in style suitable to the warm cheerful weather, adding brightness to the scene. The hour of the meet was judice ously altered from three to -half-an-hour lnter—the extra thirty minutes enable everything to be done decently 1 order," without hurry; and besides, giving the foxes more leisure to select the country and lay the paper to the finish, without finding the hunt close on their heels, #0 to speak, at the last jump.
The meet was in the field next the Lawn, and we are bound to give expression to a pretty generally uttered opinion (correct events showed), that a worse starting point could hardly be found around the Settlement; but this place, we are given to understand, was not alto: the choice of the foxes, though wh it was did not exactly transpire. The Lawn, as it now is, is very well for a finish, and would be for a atart, if the bamboo fence dividing the two fields were allowed to be remove as this ap, far, it in to be hoped that th more meet again." The objection is the narrowness of the approach to the first jump, a deep. ditch about seven or el feet wide, which through the conformation of the field and the proximity of the bamboo fence above mentioned, is narrowed to a front of only about seventeen or eighteen yards, At this place, then, on Saturday, congregated a field of some 45 or 50 ponies, ranging from the well known crack jumpers and racers, to the best picks of the Maloo. Here were also a large number of spectators assembled, but the main body had driven, in a Jong line of exrriages and pairs and other vehicles of all descriptions, to a point on the road near Mr. Major's bungalow, where the finish was to be.
But to begin at the beginning. When all the riders were mounted, a pretty and. animated scene was presented at the lower end of the starting field, a few bits of pink enlivening the dark tints of the hunting-parson-like costume of many of the others, he tally-ho being given, the 150 yar so between the start and the first ditch above alluded to, were soon covered, and the hunt were in a cluster in the narrow space mentioned, Lore ensued a acone that it is not too much to sxy was never before witnessed at a Shanghai Paper Hunt, the short spin from the start, many of the hacks were forced to the front, und wud all refused to negotiate the ditch, turning round facing their pursuers, and of course blocking the way for the cracks, Charge after charge was made on the ditch, whip and spur were applied, and loud shouts arose, but for some seconds to no purpose, and it really seemed as if there would be no start, At length some of the accustomed ones managed to xet through the ruck, and Mr, E, H, Gore-Booth, on Sleepy Hollow (though not in the hunt, having other duties to perform) going to the front, showed the way over in fine style; and Schwalbe ridden by Mr, jefenbacher, followed the good example As fast as they could get through the surging obstruction, some six or seven others were soon in pursuit; th unlucky rid 6 pony seemed excited to de-poration to attempt the leap, but fell short, was seen wading in the muddy water, nearly up to his middle, leading his recalcitrant steed by the bridle, in the hope of finding a place to ascend the steep bank, jumping and refusing still went on, and presently another rider and pony were seen to slide gently down into the water, and amid shouts-of merrie ment to wade quietly away up the ditch, Canons were frequent, and he wonder that some damage was not done, but luckily nobody got worse hurt than a soaking of mud and water. Ultimately, by force of jumping, scrambling, and wading, about thirty contrived to get into the next field, leaving eighteen oF twenty on the wrong side, among whom were some half-dozen of the bert mounts, who, thinking it hopeless lo attempt to overtake the fi tachment, who were far away by thie time, did not tuke the leap. Everybody now made their way to for patient waiting was afforded, uni the finishing point, where an opportunity
began to be thought that checks must hive been numerous or that the scent had been missed and could not recovered, But the reason was afterwards: explained, After I the Lawn, the paper led towards the Bubbling Well, noraes the tidal creek towards Fahwah village, through the village, and then over t line of jumps to near Jessfield 5 from thence straight down to the tidal creek at the back of the Bubbling Well, and then taking part of the country known, as the Trefancha line, right across the old rond and straight for the finish a distance of about ten miles.
The pace of the first detachment at starting was very fast, and was well maintained for a long distance, the country proving in capital condition, and the banks of the creeks tolerably sound, Some curious aquatic and other feats were of course performed, and the paco. at Jongth told so much upon: the ponies, that upon reaching Holdsworth's jump, a formidable obstacle, as was said, a halt jof some duration was unanimously agreed upon out of merey to their pumped condition, This not only gave opportunity to the long-lost ones to com up, but also explained the over-time of the run, and further accounted for the splendid Durst at the finish. Exactly an hour after
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.