Year: 1873

70 hunting, 1 have for manylong years
striving to do something. So much was
known Of me by certain kind friends,
and l was therefore invited to the enter
tainment and provided with horse, as
to which 1 was assured that, though he
was small, he was up to any weight,
could go forever, and jump anything.
The country would be very rough, SO
much was acknowledged and the fences
very big; but it was suggested to me
that, if would only drink enough
sherry, I might see a good deal of the
run. 1 thought of my weight, which is
considerable; of my eyesight, which is
imperfect of my insEperience in regard
to timber fences tour feet six inches
high, which, up to shat moment, was
complete; I thought, also, that my in
formant in respect to the little horse,
though indubitably veracious in inten-
tion, might probably be mistaken in his
information, never having ridden the
horse himself. Wishing to return once
more to England SO that might publish
my book, resolved that discretion would
be, on this occasion, the better part of
valor, and that would save my neck at
the expense of the i'll opinion of the
Melbourne hunting-field.


Such hunt-banquet I never saw be-
fore The spot was some eight or ten
miles from Melbourne, close upon the
sea-shore, and with a railway-station
within a quarter of a mile. It was a
magnificent day for picnic, with a
bright sun and a cool air, so that the
temptations to come, over and beyond
that of hunting, were great. About two
hundred men were assembled in a tent
pitched behind the house of the master
of the festival, of whom, perhaps, a
quarter were dressed in scarlet. Moth
ing could have been done better, or in
better taste. There was no speaking,
no drinking, so to be called; but a vio-
lent clatter of knives and forks for about
half an hour. At about two we were
out on a common, smoking our cigars In
front of the house, and remained there
talking to the ladies in carriages till
nearly three, when we started. I found
the horse provided for me to be stout,
easily-ridden, well-bitted cob but when
/ remembered what posts and rails wore
in this country, certainly thought that
he was very small No doubt discretion
would be the better part of valor !
With such crowd of horses as I saw
around me, there would probably be
many discreet besides myself, so that I
might attain decent obscurity amid a
multitude. I had not bediHened myself
in a scarlet coat.


We were upon a heath, and I caIcu-
lated that there were present about two
hundred and fifty horsemen. There was
fair sprinkling of ladies, and was re-
quested to observe one or two of them,
as they would assurdly ride we'll
There is often a little mystery about
especially in the early part of the day,
as all men know who ride to hounds at
home. 1t is not good that every body
should be told what covert is to be drawn
first; and even with stag-hounds the
officials of the pack will not always
answer with full veracity every question
put to them by every stranger. On
this occasion there seemed to be con
siderable mystery. No one seemed to
know where we were going to begin,
and there was a doubt as to the quarry
to be chased. had been told that we
were to hunt dingo, or wild-dog and
there was evidently general opinion
that turning down q dingo-shaking
him, I.suppose, out of a bag-was good
and genuine sport. We do not like
bagged foxes at home but fancy they
are unpopular chiefly because they will
never run. If diango will run, I
do not see why he should not be
turned down as well as deer out of q
cart. But on this occasion I heard
whispers about-a drag. The assevera-
tions about the dingo were, however,
louder than the whispers about drag,
and went on, believing that the hounds
woul be put upon the trail of the
animal We rode for some three or four
miles over heath-land, nobody around
me seeming to be in the least aware
when the thing would commence. The
huntsman was grabbed and uncommuni-
cative. The master was soft ns satan,
but as impregnable as plate armor. ]
asked no questions myself, knowing that
time viii unravel most things; but I
heard questions asked, the answers to
which gave no information whatever.
At last The hounds began to stir among
the high heather, and were hunting
something. cared little what it was,
if only their might be no posts or rails
in that country. like to go, but I
don't like to break nay neck and be-
tween the two, was uncomfortable.
The last fences I had seen were all wire,
and was sure that a drag would not be
laid among them. But we had got clear
of wire fences-wire all through, from
top to bottom-before we began. We
seemed to be ON an open heath, riding
round a swamp, without an obstacle in
sight. AS long as that lasted could
go as well as the best.


But it did not last. In some three
minutes, having ridden about half a
mile, found myself approaching such
an obstacle as in England would stop a
whole field. 1t was not only the height,
but the obduracy of the wooden barrier,
which seemed as though it were built
against ever-rushing herds of wild-buIls


At home we are not used to such fences


and therefore they are terrible to us
At four foot and half wall. a mar
with a good heart and good horse viii
ride; and the animal, if he knows What
he IS about. viii strike it, sometimes
with fore as we'll as hind-feet, and come
down without any great exertion, But
the post and rail in Australia should be
taken with clear, flying leap. There
are two alternatives if this be not done
If the horse and man be heavy enough
=