Saturday last saw the commencement of another season of what is the most popular and largely patronised sport in Shangh Paper-lunting may be said to be a tim honoured institution here, and the most enjoyable season in our settlement would shorn of a great attraction were it not for the weekly cross-country rans, under the auspices of the Shanghai Paperhunt Club. People in other parts of the world, (notably England) cannot understand how we get any amusement out of simply g.-ing across country on a line of paper, and one stolid hard riding Britisher, in the habit of fox-hunting at home in rather iff surf of country, remarked to an enthusiastic Shanghailander, that he though? " paper-hunting must be very like kissing your grandmother." Be that as it some of the water jumps that were given in Saturday's hunt would considerably thin out a British hunting-field, Nowhere can the China pony be sven to more advantage than in yoing across country, and when one sees how these small specimens of the genus can curry fourteen stone across twelve miles of rut and farrow, going as hard can and jumping Whatever comes in their way, it sorns to border on the marvellous, The country is almost clear, and the very cold weather we have been having forthe last week has stripped the cotton stalks, The heavy storms we had last summer have altered many of the jumps some of the large ones that we last season are now almost impracticable, while others are filled in, Ware huies is a ery heard more often than ever this season, and it behoves every one tu be very careful of these manifestations of the villagers' dislike tu cross-countes riding.
Lhe old ponies out on Saturday that distinguished themselves last season, were Black Cloud, Plarmigas, Skiddaw, "White Velect, Cardinil, Johnny Wargan, Fizzle, ete,, ete. and the new blood included Hurt, Arivle, Perequric, Lothair, several other very fine ponies.
The meet was advertised as being near Trefaucha, but the start was made about a quarter of a mile in the country, so It was not a guud one for spectators. When the Master had given the word "go," off started a field ut about fifty, and thinking ie was a quarter-mile rac Ked Hurt shot to the front of the field but the first water jump ovolod his ardour, as it did that of @ wod many more, for everyone crawled through it. The fact was there was a great deal too much of this eravling-thro ess on Saturday. The first stop jmuut recurred in less than a wile from the start, but Mr. Howie found the paper and the mokes were again set in motion. On looking round at this juncture, it was seen that some had fallen away and others had come croppers of the latter the most. distinguishable were the owner of Spalpeen (pity he was not out on him) and the now Secretary of the Town Band, who had telescoped a magnificent stove-pipe hat in rare style. The paper lay towards the island and then across the Jessfivld Road 5 but here occurred another stoppage; and the field were scattered about all over the place. Ayain the assiduous rider of Black Cloud found the paper, and in shrill tones "tally-hoed" the crowd up to Jessfield then there was another pause, and some went one way and some another, A usual, those that went the wrong way said that the others who had gone the right way had not followed the paper. The trail led round past Jessfield and over the Tidal creek by the big Stone Bridge (lucky is the man that gets up to the bridge first) then down the 'Tunsin Line to the Creek again, Here Black Clow! was in the front together with Mr, Ogle on Badger, Ptarmigan, Mr, 'Taumeyer on Earl Bric, kiddaw, and Orivle about thirty lengths behind.' On the run in, down at the back of the Bubbling Well Road, Mr. Nickels overhauled everything, and arrived at the nish of Daly's two jumps ahead; but his pony swerved and was thrown out. Eurl Eric was next up, and he propped; the saddle shifted, and Mr. 'Taumeyer had to dismount, ' Next appeared Mr. Howie on Black Clow, who took the jumps in fine style and won. Mr. King' on Skiddaw followed in good form and came in second after an interval, Mr. Beebe on Fis third; then camera crowd, mostly jumping. into the water and out again, Phe first heavy weight in, was Mr, Maitland on Gran! National, but there was no heavy weight prize.
Messrs. Burkill and McLeod laid the paper, and we suppose un account of the countries not being open yet, they were rather restricted in having to chyosy their route, The scent was not vasy to follow in the first part of the hunt.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.