The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-24 00:00:00

A RUNT AT COMPIEGNE.

On the 17th November there was a hunt in the
forest of Compiegne. The meet was at Puits- du-
Roi, one of the finest and largest of the crossways
in the forest. To those who had arrived there about
one o'clock a fine sight was presented. On one side
was the pack, consisting of 64 great white hounds,
spotted with black and tan, drawn up in battle
array, in charge of servants attired in glittering
liveries. In the centre were the hunters wearing the
uniform of the imperial hunt, or the scarlet coats in
which Englishmen delight, and in one of the great
avenues were char-a-bancs and court carriages driven
up at a gallop to their places. A confusion of
toilets, of costumes, and of colours made up a pic-
ture full of animation, enclosed as it was by the
lofty forest. The trees, already nearly leafless, ap-
peared to let fall with regret those leaves of purple
and gold with which autumn had tricked them. The
uniform of the imperial hunt consists of a green coat
with silver buttons, and a collar of scarlet velvet.
The facings and seams are covered with gold and
silver lace, forming a sort of scutcheon on the figure
—a scarlet vest, with similar trimmed breeches of
white doeskin ; heavy boots rising above the knee—
a Louis XV. hat, called a lanzpion, likewise trimmed
with gold and silver lace. The Emperor, the Em-
press, and the Prince Imperial only wear in the hat
a long white plume. When permission to wear this
costume is given the chief huntsman sends with the
certificate the buttons, stamped with the imperial
crown, which are to be worn on the coat. Hence
the expression " to receive the button," and the
abbreviation " a button," signifying one who has the
right to wear this dress and to take part in the hunt.
Besides the privilege of being invited, by right, to
hunt, the button also confers that of dining with
the Emperor on almost every occasion of a
hunt. In fact, it is very rarely that the chief
huntsman, after receiving his Majesty's commands,
does not inform all the " buttons" that they are
invited to dine at the palace. The master of
the horse and the mounted piqueurs are distin-
guished from the huntsmen by wearing breeches of
scarlet cloth with seams of gold and silver lace. In-
stead of the lanzpion, they wear a large cocked hat
like that of a gendarme, but trimmed with gold
and silver. The whippers-in wear the same dress as
the piqueurs, except the great boots, which would
hinder them from running. They wear shoes with
buckles, and long white stockings tied below the
knee. It is wonderful to see them following the pack
in full cry and to hear them shouting to encourage
the dogs. Nothing stops them. They run under
woods, across briars, ditches, and brambles, and are
almost always among the first in at the death. No
one wears a decoration on the dress of the hunt.
The Emperor only when he rides has the badge of
the Legion of Honour on his hunting coat. Any one
may follow the hunt if he be well mounted and can
ride well enough. The Prince Imperial was to-day
first at the meet. His imperial highness rode *a small
cream-coloured Arab horse, and wore the full dress
of the hunt, as well as M. Bachou, his esquire, and
the son of Dr. Conneau, who were at his side. The
young prince rode round the open space, handling
his horse with an ease and grace which the beholders
could not fail to admire. A few minutes later the
Emperor and Empress arrived in char-a-bancs. The
Emperor wore the simple dress of a private gentle-
man. The Empress wore a turban and mantle of
maroon velvet. Apropos of the toilet of her Majesty,
it has been remarked that up to the present time she
has only worn of an evening dresses made or embroi-
dered at Lyons. The Emperor left his carriage and
walked round the company shaking hands and speak-
ing with several persons ; then the Prince of Mos-
kowa,'s grand huntsman having received his Ma-
jesty's commands gave directions to the huntsmen,
and started to beat the nearest cover. The dogs
started a stag which was seen to leap into an avenue
close by followed by a dozen dogs. For some time it
seemed likely that there would be but poor sport, as
he kept dodging into cover near Puit-du-Roi ; but
at length he broke, and darting at the top of his
speed towards the pond of Sainte Perrino, was fol-
lowed by the hunters, to whom he afforded an ex-
cellent day's amusement.

AQUATICS.

THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

BOAT RACE.

Speculations are already rife here as to the probability
or improbability of a challenge being sent from the Cem-
bridge University Boat Club to the sister university, and
there are not a few men who would counsel the president
(Mr. W. R. Griffiths) not to send the usual challenge un-
less there appears to be a good prospect of winning. Others
would have the light blue still to go pluckily on, hoping
that it may once again be victorious. The trial eights have
been doing some good work, rowing to Baitsbite-lock, and,
on returning, dividing the course into two at Grassy. Mr.
Griffiths has received the assistance of Mr. Bourko and Mr.
Still. Mr. Pinckney, who rowed stroke to First Trinity at
the May races last year, and to the Black Prince, at Henley,
has been rowing stroke to one of the boats, and Mr. Wat-
nay, of St. John's, has rowed stroke in the other. The
names of the crews are :

MIL PINCKNEY'S CREW.
B. Humfrey, 3d Trinity
Fell, Trinity Hall
Simpson, Lady Margaret's
Bromby, Christ's
Smith, Emmanuel
Grove, Corpus
Anderson, Ist Trinity
Pinckney, Ist Trinity.

MR. WATNEY'S CREW.
Jervis, Corpus
Kirby, Trinity Hall
Hoyle, Ist Trinity
.Johnston, 2d Trinity
Kempe, tat Trinity
Collard, Lady Margaret's
Nadin, Pembroke
Watney, John's

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY:

The Colquhoun sculls were presented to the Lady Mar-
garet Boat Club in 1835 by Mr. J. Colquhoun, and are now
open to the university. They are held by the winner for a
year, the club at the same time presenting him with a cup
of the value of £l5. All the best men who are iu residence
generally enter for these races, and the successful compe-
titor may fairly be considered the best sculler of his time.
These are bumping races until three men aro left in ; these
three then row a time race. There wore 14 entries this
year, being not so many as usual. The first race was on
Tuesday, the 20th, when they started in the following
order : Sir A. Lamb, 3d Trinity; Weighell, Jesus;
Shaun, Ist Trinity ; Finch, Lady Margaret ; Roe, Down-
ing; Airy, 2d Trinity; Wood, Emmanuel; Leavens,
Queen's ; Griffiths, 3d Trinity ; Maddock, Clare ; Elton,
Jesus ; Watson, Christ's ; Hon. J. Gordon, Ist Trinity ; and
Resell, 3d Trinity. The favourites were Griffith, Shann,
and Finch, whilst Lambe, Wood, and Gordon had several
supporters. There were five bumps made. Shann bumped
Weighell at Grassy-corner. Airy sculled up to his post, as
Roe did not put in an appearance. Wood, to the astonish-
ment of every one, bumped Finch over two places in the
Plough-reach ; Griffiths ran into Leavens easily, and Elton
bumped Maddock. The two last, getting across the river,
somewhat stopped Watson, who was in consequence
bumped by Gordon. This last bump, however, was not
claimed, and Watson was allowed to row again. The sud-
den collapse of Finch, who was looked upon by many as a
probable winner of the sculls, was a general surprise. He
lost his lead completely, steered wildly, and came utterly
to grief. The second race took place on Wednesday, and
the nine left in started in the following order:—Elton,
Wood, Rasch, Griffiths, Shann, Lambe, Airy, Watson,
and Gordon. W ood bumped Elton, who steered some-
what wildly ; Griffiths bumped Rasch at once ; and
Watson bumped Airy, who was afterwards swamped. The
third race was on Thursday, when the remaining six started
thus—Lambe, Wood, Shaun, Gordon, Griffiths, and Wat-
son. This was a very find race. Shaun bumped Wood
going round Grassy-corner, and Griffiths bumped Gordon
just before Grassy. Wood was badly steered, but ho
sculled pluckily. A protest, however, was made against
the bump, as it was asserted that Shann started in front
of his post. This being referred to the captains, they de-
cided in favour of Wood, who was thus left in the race.
The fourth race was on Friday, a most miserable day. Only
the most enthusiastic rowers ventured to go down to the
race-course, but these constituted a large number. The five
started iu the following order : —Lambe, Watson, Shann,
Griffith; and Wood. Shaun bumped Watson in the Gut,
and Griffiths bumped Lambe over two places round Dit ton-
corner, sculling in such style that he is at present the favou-
rite for the final time race, which takes place this day.

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN IN THE UNITED STATES.
—The Daily News holds that the triumph of Re-
publicanism in the United States is complete. The
Democratic party is permanently discredited and
overthrown. The history of American compromises
is at an end ; and the history of the application of
American principles to the difficulties of Federal
Government has begun. The President and his ad-
visers, the Southern leaders and the Northern De-
mocrats, would have continued the old record, be-
ginning a new chapter of compromises with
inequality and concessions to injustice. But the new
leaf is turned, and the moral of the last elections is
that there is no power on the continent which can
turn it back again. Mr. Johnson's attitude towards
Congress when it meets, strengthened by knowledge
of the character of its successor, will make no per-
manent difference to any but himself ; at most it
will only decide whether the new era of reconstruc-
tion shall have a calm beginning, or whether its first
hours shall be obscured by storms.