The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-19

party. He rode one Of that illustrious line Of
steeds sired by John Asinus out Of Equus, as
one could tell at glance from the delicate re-
fined cut Of the ears and the dexterity Of the
heels whenever Clay applied the unnecessary
spurs to unduly stimulate the animals speed
till 1t reached point proportionate to his
own exuberancy Of spirits or to the paee of
the horses. The stranger with the red shirt,
whose name was so long that nobody remem
bered IL. and who was spoken Of generally us
above, seemed to sit tolerably well In
the saddle Of small bay mare The anil
NAL was apparently tough and agile,
though not so scrupulousy equipped
as thorough fox hunter would
have liked, as the bridle reins were made OF a
small rope. The strangers face was very
red, his mare was q bright red, and his shirt
was scarlet, so his general make-up was alto
gethsr rcd, which was In Keeping with the
rcd flush Of dawn, whose edges were then
gilded with the rays Of the sun, which had
by this time nearly risen. After ride OF
about % mile toward the Bayou Sara creek
tho hunters struck off toward @ narrow skirt
Of woodland through an old field. Shortly
after entering the field the pack struck two
hot trails simultaneously. All the dogs ex-
cept Clay's hounds we're soon called in and
centered on one trail. Clay's seven ran off on
o more inviting course, and were followed by
the Judge, Mr.. Turner, the red-sfirted
stranger and Clay himself. After q short run,
and q good view Of the fox, Clay's dogs were
completely baffied, and lost the fox In q long
thicket on the Bayou Sara creek. BY this
time the hounds in the main pack were in full
cry i'm 81 wood about two miles distant, and the
baffled hounds and hunters took cut across
the country TO join in the chase.
Before they reached the woods In which the
pack was hunting the fox, much to the ehagrin
of Mr.. HOt1el, took new course by O cross
roads store, and caused d temporary halt on
the part Of three of the hunters, whose steeds
suddenly showed signs Oh distress and the
discovery OF the jaded state Of their nags on
| the part Of the three riders was not less be-
wildering than the wonderful recuperative
energies both riders and horses displayed
almost instantly after the remount Thus, at
| least, thought the casual observer, who, hay
| ing continued the chase, was soon overtaksn
| by the noted parties Then the casual OBJ
| server, who was rather OF o skeptical dispOsi-
| tion ut any rate, began 20 think that this re-
| luctance on the part Of Mr.. H0eell and his
| companions at being compelled to dismUunt
| In the heat Of q very exciting fox chase was 81
partially feigned II not an altogether fictitious,
| sentiment. But, to return to our hunt. An
| hour had been passed in the chase OF the sly
| fugitive, which now turned on his track and
afforded an opportunity OF centering the
| whole pack on his trail.
| When the hounds got well together the real
| fun commenced. There was no doubt about
| it." the fox was up" and excitement ran
| high, as every movement Of the twelve hunt
ers and their horses evnced. The dogs
passed to the eastward through o long skirt
Of woodland till they got more than q mile
away, down in valley, whence their baying
came up softly as the cooipg Of q dove. Some
of the horsemen had followed them. others
| took short cut across the country1tOward
the head Of the woodland, hoping TO get q
view, as the chase seemed to be bearing that
way. These latter proved. right in their sur
| too late to sec the fox run across broad belt
Of open land into another long thicket that
| bordered on the creek The fox was good
half mile ahead Of the hounds, and by the
| time these had reached the head Of the wood
land the hunters had all gathered there.
There we're numbers Of cattle on the open
field where the fox had passed, hence the
| trail was rather slow and difficult; but, after
q mile Of tedious winding, it entered 81 large
thcket ON the Bayou Sara. Here the fox had
apparently rested after o run of nearly two
| hours duration, for he was jumped just
before the hounds, as the Judge and the RED
shirted stranger, who had ridden around the
eastern edge Of the thicket, saw him break
cover and cut for the bluffs Of the creek. The
Judge gave the view haloo, and he, aided by
the gentleman with the red shirt, soon got
the pack together after him. The chase leo
down the bluffs to the lower ledge near tht
water; then bordering the creek for 1000 yards
led back into another line Of woodlands, which
came to point in 81 broad open plain. ThE
; excitement now rose to higher pitch as tn
hounds were fast driving the fox through tn
narrow woodland toward the open plain. IN
! fox had no chance Of doubling now as thu
! woods we're too narrow. Abreast Of the PACK
ON either side Of the long thicket gallopet
half o dozen horsernen, whose loud cheer
= hied on the hounds and apparently
i. urged them in their speed. Ere re
3 thicket grew thinner, added to the excite
t ment Of the hunters. The stranger with th
q red shirt posted himself at the head OF
, ravine which debouched from the end OF tn
ments. He had not long to wait, for soon th
:. fox came running up the ravine and crouche
in it's extremity. Beyond this ravine lay q
open grassy slope Of 1000 yards or more
s Behind were score OF hounds. Before thes
:. came ON the red shirted stranger calle
!, I'D the rest Of the hunters, who rod
: up to the edge of the ravine,, an
:, there awaited the final burst and the fin
:. ish. The hounds came on in full cry ii
y within fifty feet Of the fox, who, springin
u over the edge of the gulch fled across td
+ slope with the whole pack running in sigh
:, Nineteen dogs in full cry, and all In buncl
l. with fox flying fifty feet ahead and twel,
neck speed is rare sight for sportsma
e Afterwards some Of them called it "gloriousl
It grand The stranger with the red shi
+ urged his mare at mad gait to the ne7
:. ravine to head off the fox and turn him
y that the finish might be ON the open groun
n But the flying fugitive wouldn't turn, and ;
'. he passed under the legs Of the stranger
h mare her rider struck him across the res
!. . with o riding whip just as he jumped oy'
:, the brink of the ravine. This was an u
10 professional and disreputable transactio
q but as it was done in the excitement Of Il
:, chase it was pardoned by the other hunter
III The hounds tumbled promfscuously down II
re ravine after the fox and there finished hir
d The stranger with the red shirt rode h
ia mare down after them. For a few mornen
!" there was promiscuous mass Of dog, fox ar
lc red shirt At the end OF this most extraord
y binary melee the red shirted stranger, WI
:, entity gone to the devil, appeared above Il
III brink Of the ravine with the brush IN b
70 hand, and with this end of the fox ende
ID after two hours splendid sport, what two o
| bnp+ora ohose fo term 'sthn finest fox flu