New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-23
NEWPORT DIVERSION.
Cross Country Rum FOr Hunt
Without the For.

feature which would furnish the maximum or
excitement In a measure it is Hamlet with
Hamlet left out The chase is along the arc
matte trail of the anise seed bag instead Of the
odoriferous tracks of a fox, with his native cum
ming to make the chase interesting. The coun-
try around Newport is fiat. with under
growth Under such conditions there would be
no chance for the fellow with the pointed ears
to make a game fight for his life. Without a
chance for life the sport with Reynard one
of the elements would be tame indeed.
Paper chases were the form which the cOun-
try runs first assumed These hOurished for
three or four seasons. Then Peter r. Collier
was induced take the Monmouth County
Hounds to Newport The coming of the hounds
added zest to the runs over the fields Of Middle
town, Portsmouth and jamestown, and the
sport became one of the popular pastmes. With
the coming of the hounds substitute for paper
was sought. The fox hunt being out Of the
question, the anise seed was selected to provide
the trail
A number of years ago drawing by Chip.
representing a hunting scene with anise seed
bag to provide the trail. published \
sleepy looking messenger boy was shown drag
ging the bag through the grass short distance
ahead of the hounds and horses. The speed oil
the whole cavaIcade was such that 1t might De
compared to the speed of the Southern train on
which a certain Northerner was riding The
Northerner suggested that the cowcatcher be
put on behind as there was no danger of run
ming into anything, while there was danger OF
COWS walking in at the of the train
No messenger boy is employed at Newport
Mr.. Collier personally lays out the course, and q
man employed for the purpose goes over the
country dragging behind him a stick resembling
an abnormaIIy long walking stick. To the end
2 iS he'd a
anise While laying the scent the man eX-
amines the points where jumps would be re-
auired Any that appear dangerous or likely to
imperil the hunters and their mounts are
marked with a strip of red cloth. The brightly
colored cloth is a signal to the hunter that the
far side of the fence or ditch is dangerous.
The meets are full of animation and color. as
one might expect in the circumstances Long
before the time for the start the roads III the
neighborhood of the meeting place are Hned
with vehicles of many descriptions. laden with
gayIy dressed parties. The putting and snOrtlnS
of automobiles lend a modern element to the
scene. which seems a little incOngruOus at first.
One by one the hunters appear on the scene
Perhaps the meet is at the One Mile Corner,
where four roads converge. Then they seem TO
De coming from the four quarters of the earth
Near by are the hounds, in charge OF two Whip
pers in and the kennelmen. They are IN cage
waiting for the signal of release. All the hunt
ers have arrived. a hunters horn sounds on the
clear air. The hunters line up for the start and
the dogs are released. Following the master
and his assistant, the shining horses and their
red coated riders galop away after the baying
hounds.
While the hunters are following the hounds
over the meadows, the spectators who assembled
at the start, aware of the point where the finish
will be- crack their whips and press their levers
and are away over the highways TO the
kill"
The etiquette of the sport permits one to
precede the master. Even at the kill he must
be first. But the rider who follows him re-
ceives the credit for being the first in There
being no fox, there is no brush to be awarded
and the dogs, hot for the expected prey. dis
appointed. In lieu of fox to tear and devOur
they receive a huge square OF beef which IS
tossed high in the air. AS it falls the bayinS
hounds jump for it.. and a lively scramble en-
sues.
The entire expense of maintaining the hounds
and of conducting the runs is met by MT
Collier. Every year after the hunting season he
entertains the farmers of the island at what
he calls grand blowout" in the form OF
clambake This, in a measure, is intended 10
compensate the farmers for the use OF their
lands for the runs.
Alfred G. Vanderbilt has a large number Of