The meet for the paper hunt on Saturday afternoon, being the fourth of the present season, was greatly interfered with by unfavourable weather. The morning broke cold and cloudy, and towards noon, showers fell at intervals, reminding one of an English spring rather than mid-winter in the North of China, Towards three o'clock, the time fixed for the meet at the Rifle Butts, there was a brighter interval, which no doubt occasioned a stronger muster of the local Nimrods than would otherwise have appeared, especially considering the rough nature of the course to be followed, Despite all drawbacks and disadvantages, some thirty-five or forty ardent lovers of riding under difficulties, appeared at the rendezvous, but just at the time of starting, there was an unmistakeable downpour, which speedily coverted the Hongkew paddy and cotton fields into sticky maralles, This untoward circumstance, however, did not appear to check the ardour either of the Iuutsmen or their steeds, j|Mr. E. G. Low and Mr, Walker foxes of the day, and laid such a hunt that the comparatively who followed the leaders to the finish will scarcely be likely to forget. Mud and slush were the order of the and woeful was the spectacle pr incoming outride of the previous hour.
jab at the Stone Bridge, beyond the Sinza Village, there was a numerous gathering of spectators, whose courageous defiance of the watery doment was rewarded with a spectacle the like of which has seldom b in English steeplechase course on a wet Novembi day. Ponies and riders wore mud-beplastered to a degree, and judging from their appearance, it is a matter of cot gratulation that none had -recei more damage than soap and water and scraping would remove. The first of the light weights in was Mr. Long, who rode Agility; Turnbull, riding Steam Whistle, being the number ous of the heavies.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.