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EHUD OH EAXBIERS.
By STONEWALL.
We left the kennel country on Friday, 'Augnet
St, and met at the Digger's Best railway-station.
Bain had been falling in Melbourne nearly the
whole night, and it was still coming down in cold
and unpleasant gusts when our special train left
Spencer-street. Onoe on the plains, however, we
found them very dry, the rain having, up to the
time of the "throw-off," carefully avoided the
country over which we were to hunt. A strong
wind Com the north made hunting very difficult.
We drew the Plumpton and the Island paddocks
of Sir Rupert Clarke's estate without reBult; but
on reaching the police paddock several hares were
viewed shead. Taking the one to the left, we
were soon in full cry along Halpln's boundary, and
after skirting the edge of some stony rises we
raced across Beattie's paddock, and into ttic tim
ber, through which hounds carried the line with
out a check. On gaining the open country we
encountered a stiff double in crossing the lane run
ning down to Melton, and then met with some nice
gross lands before crossing the Melton Creek at
O'Donaell's homestead. Hounds had a good break
os wo raced through some healthy-looking crops
towards Toolern, but suddenly over-ran the line
through puss having squatted. On making a cast
back, we had lier afoot almost immediately, and
ran due south; but when mldwav between the
main Toolcm-road and the creek ww» fences in
(civencd, and, as a result, hounds ran out of
view, hut were found again in Hornbuckle's farm,
where puss had managed to evade them; About
this time the wind became much stronger, and as
rain commenced to fall, there seemed little hope
of further sport. After trying several paddocks
wii^out success, we ultimately found a good hare
in u paddock on the west side of the Kockbank
Station. Our quarry first ran up to the old
Plumpton, and then, doubling back, took us south
of the ram paddock, through Taylor's, and then
across some growing crops on the eastern hank
of the Kororoit Creek. Hounds, hunting well, car
ried the line over eome grand hunting countr
until we finally reached Cummerford's padop
where puss fell a prey to the pack. It w|
good performance to kill under such adverse
ther conditions. We then returned to the c
all thoroughly wet through, but Bomewha
penmted by the fact that the country was iettij
a much-needed rsin. \ K
Amongst those out were—The master (MivS
bort Miller), Miss Madden, Miss Creswick,
Hamilton, Miss Carbeny, Major Brunt, Messrs?
G. Russell, H. M. S. Oox, C. N. I.o'ng, R. L.
Cross, C. Leonard, G. Madden, Raphael, J. Moy
lan. and Moylan, jun.
$