The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-22


Ono of the 'fcw plaoos- i, tl,o Ty lti,res
which may be described rs al essentially
winter rnsidonco is Pau, once the Capital
of the Bcarn, and the birthplace of Henry
w., whose tortoise shell cradle is still to be
seen in one of the chambers of the ancient
castle. Pau has acquired a new import
ance within the last twenty years, having
become favoritc resort of Englishmen
and, above all, Americans during the wint
or months. The rainfall of Pau is greater
than that of London, while, to make mat
tcrs worse, nearly the whole of it falls du-
ring the six months of the Pau season. But
against this fact must be set the dryness of
the soil and the absence of damp in the air,
which arc such that the effect of even
twcnty-four hours heavy rain is soon obli-
teratcd. Then, again, those who have to
submit to the rain at Pau can be recon-
pensed upon the first fine day by that mag
niiccnt view of the Pyrcncan chain, which
80 impressed Lamartine that he declared
the sea view from Ncaplcs and the land
view from Pau to be the two most beauti-
full sights which, he, traveller as he had
been, ever behcld. The panorama is most
beautiful one, as viewed, from the terraces
of the Place Royale and the: adjoining
hotels, or from the gardens Of the Castle,
embracing, as it docs, nearly all the high
est peaks of the Upper and Lower Pyrenees
upon the French side of the frontier, from
the Pic du Midi above Bagncrcs dc Bigorrc
to the solitary Mont Perdu, round which
hangs such wealth of legend. But the
magnificent view is not the only or even
the chief attraction Of Pau, which, all
question of climate apart is one of the
most pleasant of winter quarters. There
is no lack of amusement and sport, while
Mt the same time there is not that admix-
turc of the gambling element Which the
propinquity of Monaco brings to Nice and
Mcntone. The large Anglo American col
ony at Pau are not in any way Puritan,
though they so far maintain home traditions
as not to allow of any card-playing at the
English Club on Sunday, in spite of the re-
pcatcd efforts of. a. minority to repeat the
rulc. But the main feature of the Pau
season is tho pack of English hounds,
which, after having been for several years
under. the management of Major Cairns, is
now hunted by the Earl Of Howth. Thc
present master, who in his younger days
was one of tho finest horscmen'in in Ireland,
has formed an entirely new pack, consist
ing of sixty couples Of hounds, which he
got together during last summer, somo from
Lord Spencer and some from Her .Majcsty's
kennels at Ascot, and which before being
brought over to Pau were hunted for few
weeks in Ireland. Lord Howth has mount
ed the servants of the hunt very well, and
so far as the success of hunt depends
upon the ability Of its master the. Pau pack
should take very high rank. At Pau the
fox Is not hunted as in Great Britain. There
is too much woodland and too many foxes
for that, and the mode of procedure Is as
follows: A drag is laid on at the place Of
meet, and tho hounds run this drag fol
about forty minutes, after which they find
themselves on the track of baggcd fox
which has been let out at place previous
ly agreed upon by the huntsman and the
man who runs the drag. Many of those
who conc out to tho meet are unaware Of
this innocent fraud, and when they see the
hounds running into the bagman after q
quick forty-fvc' minutes they arc inclined
to exclaim, "Hcre's sport 2indcedl" ..Tnt
Pau hounds meet three days q week, or
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and there
Is generally large field, many ladies be-
ing unfailing In their presence at the meet
and conspicuous in the front of all the bes
runs. The sister sport Of racing 10 also II
great favor at Pau, and tho second day.