The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-01-11 00:00:00

ROYAL VISIT TO ORICHEL.

On Wednesday the Royal party started for the Home
°Overt about eleven o'clock, and Nines's Wood, Prince's
Cops-, and Cletter Wood were list snot, the game bell
abundant. The Docker Lad , y Mauston, Led, Cagil4roaf
and the other ladles staring at the Mansion joined the
shooting party at luncheon In a teat net the covert
After luncheon the Oakhaki cover and the Rookery were
shot over, the shootioe behm watched some part of the
time by the Duchess and a number of other ladles. The
shooting party was exactly the same as on the proceeding
day • the begs were beerier than an Tuesday, the exact
numier killed being :—l•beason, a, ; hares, 146; rabbits.
081; woodcocks. & Most of the lefties returned to the
Hones towards four o'clock, but Ves *booting was net over
until about Ave.

About as eolosk there was • greed display of tirr
works in front of the !tension, which was witnessed by
louse two or three thousand people, the perk being thrown
oven to the public. who S cked In from Win:abeam*.
Blandford, and the neiglibourh awl in almost every direc-
tion. The weather waa fine but very oold, the wind, as
during the daytime, blowing strongly from the north.
met. Their Royal Higtmemes the Duke and Dimities of
Connaught, sad the other 'meta in the Home, totether
with Lord and Lady Alingtm, the Hon. Hurephrer Start,
and other members of the family witaemed the display
from one of Um grand terrace• Tba pyrotechnist was
Mr. Pain, and the display was a moat imposing one, and
drew forth rounds of applause from the spectators. The
eel pisoe with the motto " Long life and happiness to
Humphrey Start" beteg greeted with loud cheers.
After the fireworks the Royal petty adjourned to dinner,
during which Me Royal Italian Bend played the follow-
ing selection :
Overture "Pirates of Pansaam"....._.....(Sullivan
Valor . "
Selection 8.110 in Ma5cher5"...............(Verdi
Mazurka "Swaim' . . .(Gobatti
Solo euphonium on Italian P..pular Ain. ..... ...(ooisroghl
Polka "Obi 6 Le" . fEltranes

THE RUNT MEET AT BLANDFORD.
One of the roost charming sights witnessed in the neigh-
bourhood of Blandford, and in fact in the county of Dorset
generally, for many years pad., was the bunt meet of Lord
Portman's hosted. on Blandford Esee D tern en Thursday.
The weather was simply lovely, the sun shining forth
brilliaotly, though • biting wind was blowing right front
the north east. Tim meet which it was known some days
before would be patronised by royalty, wee Said for half.
past twelve, but some two hours befir• that people began
to stir across the Down, and towards half-past eleven
began to pour over the vast extant of undulating green.
sward from nearly evrry direction. Huntsman put in an
appearance from long distances as well as from the
Immediate neighbourhood. =ay coming from Bourne-
,
, mouth and Coriatahurch on the one hand, and from
Templeoombe, Sberborna and the lower psrls of Somer.
attain] and the north of Devon. There were la all
several hundred horsemen, including over • hundred in red
ooata. Amongst thee. in the field we noticed Lord Port-
man. the Hon. W. El. B. Portman, M.P., Mr Brymer,
M.P., Omen' Parke, Sir Thomas Fraser Grove, _Bart.. Mr.
Farquharson, the Mime Farquharson, the lion. K B.
Portman, Captain and Adjotant Harmer, Mr. H. & Teat-
man, Mr. H S. Bower, Colonel Henning, C. 8., Mr. H.
Kansel-Pletdell, Mr. J. Parke, Mr. Mollie, Mr. T.
Rawlins, Mr. B dikes, and Mr. K B. Portman. The Wigs,
to, montwei in strong force on horseteick.
The Itrlel petty arrived on the ground about a quarter
to one, at which time there amid not nave been lees titan
3,01111 people on the Downs. Toe utmost good humour and
forbearance on all aides oreseiled, SS I all peeled off happy
as a marriage bell, without the slightest accident, The
baiting place of the Duke and Duchess' of tee their journey
from Crichel is known as the " Tele.raph Clump.- The
Duke was splendidly mounted on one of Lord Alington's
hest hunters, and the airtime, who wore a dark brown
riding habit, WS4 mounted on • fine animal, also from the
crichri stables. Both the Duke and Duchess shook hands
warmly with Lord Portman, who we. amongst the vast
company welting t welcome thrir R Highneessee to •
Dorset Hunting field. The party from Crichet in addition
to the Duke and Ditches., included Captain Bretton, Lord
Alington, Lady Emma Baring the IC irl and Countess of
Clarendon, Viscount and Viscountess Castlereagh, the Hon.
Mr. and Mrs. Bourke. Sir John Lister Kaye, all these being
mounted. The lion. Humphrey Stott drove the Hoe. Mrs.
Bourke in a pony carriage. Maria Ifarohioneen of Alter
bury, the Hon. Mrs. futerten, Mn. Napier Start, and
Lord A. Lennox, also drove to the meet The hounds
which had been kept in waiting • short distance off, in
the charge of Joseph Moss, the huntsman, and R. Pickiird
and Charles Tomkins, whip, were immediately drawn
off to the gorse, some quarter of • nails away in the
direction of Blandford, and thither in a very short space of
time the whole field moved, the Royal guests being in ad-
vance. On arriving about some two-this is of the way down
the valley towards gorse • halt was made for the purpose
of beating for Iteatir Bernard. wbo, however, was not 10
be found. If a fox was there before the beating teok place
It had the advantage of the scent of the hounds instead of
COS WM. 11, the wind was blowing strongly from thneisolnt
where the hounds had been temporarily static. SD
advantage of which it may he presumed it was not ow,
with its usual cunning, to take advantage. Going further
to the extreme end of the gorse • fox was put on foot, but
owing to the crowds of people round it refused to break
cover. One result of the beating of this gene, however,
was that a number of harm were started which ran across
the Downs in different directions, but managed in nearly
every instance to n.ske an serene to the wood let.g to
close proximity. In one cam, however, puss was killed by
• large spaniel dog after an &snit's, chase of about a
quarter of • mile. As no fox amid be found in the gorse
the beaten proceeded to a part of the Down known as
"Dismal Come,* nearer CricheL followed by nearly all
who hod taken the held. A most picturesque view of the
whole party was presented as they scattered themselves
down the gentle siopes of the downs, some at a canter,
others more slowly, the red coats of the huntsmen and
wading cpert,,oen forming a pretty and striking con-
trast with the more sombre dresses of other huntsmen,
and the costumes of the pedestrians. The scene just at
this time, from the higher levels of the Downs was
exceptionally gay, in the brilliant sunshine with which the
whole proceedings were favoured. On arriving at Dismal
Copse a brace of foxes were started in the plantation, and
• good run took place, belting a quarter of an hour or
twenty minutes, after which, owing to the thickness at
the wood and the number of people about, Lord Portman
gave orders for the bounds to be whipped off last the foxes
should be chopped. Lumoeston plantation was next tried,
but the result was a blank draw. Going on to Hydis
plantation a fox Jumped up literally behind the field—
after the party bad pessed—and ran right back in the
direction of Launcestoa plantation, on to moucutou
gate, right into Chatter wood. As darkness now Aeon to
sat In, the hounds were whipped ay without Rainwd
being killed, though a good day's sport had been enjoyed.
The Duke and Duchess followed the bounds for some
time—until east Launceston wood had been drawn.
On Friday Royal party again shot In the home
come, leaving the house about 11 o'clock. The pert,
°melded of Duke of Cosmanght, Lord A
Lennox, the Earl of Hardwick*. Lord Clerendon,V=
castieremb, Major the Hon. 0. Bourke, Clapham Egerton,
cud sir 3. /Asks Kaye. Lord Unstop and the Hon.
Humphrey Stint were also ,out, but did not shoot. The
day was beautifully fine and frosty, and there bad been a
sharp frost during the night. Everything was favourable
for shooting, and there was plenty 0 game. The Chatter
Wood cover was first shot over, after which the party
adjourned to luncheon in • tent, where they were joiaed
by the Dualism of Connaught Lady Alinston. Lady
amend., Viemantme Cestioteligb. the Marchlooese of
Ailesburr, the Hoe. lire. Egerton, and other ladies from
Weisel House. Alter luncheon the Holly Grove Cover
weeshot over, and the party returned to the home about
five o'clock. The total number killed was :—Pheasante.
us • lyres, 161; rabbits, 73: woodcocks, 2; rations, ,f •
total--48S. It will thusbe men that the number bagged
was lower Wm on Wednesday.