The Sun.
London, England, 1808-12-20 00:00:00

SPORTING,

HOLDEIZkESS.-We have had most excellent ipo-rt
the,e two day 4 past with Sir M. M. SyKEs'and Mr.
WATT'S Fox-hounds, viz. Monday and Tuesday the
I:2th and 13th. • On Monday two, if not three
'horses died from excess of fatigue; after three runs,
two of them severe ; and yesterday, Tuesday, we
had one of the most extraordinary runs these hounds
have ever known. We had a good run from Burton
Constable, and killed, after a shifirpish business of six
or seven miles. We afterwards, tried two covers,
without finding; but at last had a beautiful -find at
RingborOugh, near Aldbrough, and went away most
gailantly, on the highest scenting day we have had
this season. At first the fox took to the northward,
and afterwards made a circle, and then took off to
near Burton Pidsea, and across Keyingham Drain, to
,Halsharn, Ottringham Church Lands, and to Wine-
stead, without a check., where we were obliged to
give it up, at. near five o'clock, in Colonel MAIbTER'S
plantations. We had three or four fallows to cross
before we got to the road, the dogs could not get
fast across them, and the scent was then become
coldish, and it were'getting dark,; •so that we called
the hOunds off..

There are more foxes in Holderness than ever were
remembered. - You May conjeaure there were not
many of the field with the hounds when they got to
Halshany, nor until they gave up; several were tired,
and the hounds a great distance from their kennel.
The Hunt has been accompanied by a very large
assemblage of Gentlemen sportsmen, from every
part of the neighbourhood ; and we learn, that,
some days, not less than two hundred horsemen
have taken the field. a

COURSING.—AII the Meetings in the South differ
from the Mahon Meeting in running for their Prize
Cup. In the'South, each member subscribes to it-,
and if present, starts a dog—which are drawn by lot,
to run against each other, two and two. The next
day, the winners of the -preceding day run against
each other, till all the dogs are run off; and lastly,
the two winners of the whole start for the Cup.—
An, interest is thus kept alive through the whole
Meeting the best.dog is fairly ascertained, and not
more than a brace of dogs are started at once, which
renders the course a proper trial, which cannot be the
case when five or six greyhounds are running toge-
ther after one unfortunate hare.

The following communication is from a merchant
of high respectability . •

" Lasnon, DEC. 3.---Affairs, according to ap-
pearances, are less favourable than we could wish;
n withstandin,; the aiNasteN which have befallen
the Spaniards, their:patriotistnand enthusiasm ap-
pear here to be unabated, and while this is the case
we ought not to despair of their cause. Ten thou-
,sand men are going Iron) hence to Spain, under the
command of General MIRANDA, but so slottr are
the movements of the Portuguese, that it would be
hazarding ninch to say when they would set off:
" The, inhabitants of Lisbon (those who hiive
property) seem to be unanimous in their determina-
tion to ler-Lye the country, it the French return here;
it is not likely they will contribute much to its de-
fence with theirmindi thug disposed, and to this is
to be attributed the great indifference we witness.
The Regency is disliked : nor is it so a'6.tive as it
onght,to be.

" An .Edict has been published here, calling on
every person who has nerses to deliver them up for
the service‘of the, country, either gratuitously or at a
valuation, at the option, of the owners, under pain
of_imprlsonMem ; Whether these tardy measures of
co-operation and assistance will be productive of good
or riot, • time only can shew. The voluntary contri-
butions at'e not great, and if the spirit of patriotism
in this country, of which so much has been said,
ever.did exist to the extent described, be assured it
ha's loSt most of iis force: The general hatred to the
French is perhaps undiminished, but'an indifference,
which may prove desiritetive to the best 'interests. of
the country, has succeeded in the capital; in the
PrOvinces we hear things have a More favourable
appearance, and we are willing to hope, it is the
•
case.

" The differences"hetween the Engliih and POr-
tliguese troops at Oporto, it apeears, havc been set-
tled without blood Shed,"

Extraet of a Letter from a Lieutenant in the 82d
regiment to his 14.ather East Lthian, dated Op.orto
November 16 :

" The 82d and 97th embarked aboardl.
transports at I,:sbon.on 2d curt. and dropped, down
the river, next day, to &dein Castle, whence they
saileci'fpr Opoi-tb o, the'inortiiiig: of the 4th. We
arrived at Oporto on the 9th, but could riot get over
the bar,' notwithstanding that we had pilots on
lYlard: The transports therefore cruized otF and on
till the I 3th, when Sir Rineti-r WILSON, Cornmand-
ing Officer at Oporto, sent boats from the shore, by
which we were all Safely lauded, together with our
'baggage: We are billeted upon the merchants and
innkeepers of the town, and the Officers. 01 the two
regunents were entertained at dinner by Sir ROBERT
on the,day of landing. I was at the Opera last
night, but thought very little of the performance.—
I have likewise been at the General Hospital, where
Many •French prisoners, both Officers and privates,
are detained.

" Oporto • is'a much cleaner town than Lis-
bon. We were qilartered at Lisbon from the igth
of 06tober till the day we embarked for this place,
having been formerly cantoned i❑ Belem Barracks,
on account of the number of, sick men in the regi-
ment. The soil, ten wilei ;round Lisbon, seems to
be a strong clay ; but down to the coast, where we
first landed, it is a light sand, and extremely
barren.

" The .only • crops o;th while were those of
grapes and apples. As for roads, there is scarcely
any thing to be seen which you would call by that
na.ne ; and with regard to ploughs, those generally
used in Portugal are little better than crooked sticks,
though drawn by two oxen. Br itish ploughs and
British: ploughmen indeed are much wanted?'

Y.Qsterclay morning at five o'clock, Mr.
junior, 4,1 I.lffeuineedie..-slreet, shot him-
Fellirt a fit of iosanity,'auctipitintlyexpired..