for the ridiculous is almost always diverting, and even absurdities sometimes afford as much fun to some as real good sport does to others. I will mention the various incidents of the day, and leave your readers to judge for themselves-but first I must describe what sort of animal a Pongo is -yet, no-I may not make the attempt for fear of offending that very respectable and numerous class of people-for the Pongoes are, I really believe, descendants of Adam, though so much of the monkey peeps out in their feature and form, that the of the observer instincteye ively glances down to look for their tails, and the mind naturally enough is brought to conclude, from the absence of that appendage, that docking has been resorted to, and that, like "business ponies," they only carry a remnant! I will not be more minute in my description, lest any one should fancy I meant to be personal, an intention which I positively disclaim; so that if any of my neighbours should think him alluded to, and cut me in consequence, I shall certainly ask for his which will not convince me of reasons, the correctness of the application, unless he should show me "his stump," when I shall be most willing to make the "amende honourable 99 to him, and to his whole tribe also, if called on so to do. Well, Mr. Editor, to proceed with my tale, and leave the Pongoes to arrange their tails as they can. It was a fine, cool, breezy morning, and our party were in high spirits, and with guns, greyhounds, fishing rods, and hog spears, we wandered over the beautiful plain extending from our rendezvous to the spot where our 123 tents were pitched. We had of course formed a line, separating from each other about 60 yards, and as there were ten of us, we covered a good space of ground, and in a very short time up started a hare. Now, I had not seen a course for some years, and was exceedingly surprised to find two brace of dogs had been slipped at the unfortunate puss: in days of 66 yore this would have been called down dreadful punishment had slipped the second brace, on the back of the offender who but on this occasion no oath was sworn, no vengeance vowed, no remark was made; away went the four dogs, leaving the whole party to follow, which they did at a very leisurely pace, one or two of the gentlemen observing to me as I was pushing by them, 'Oh, don't ride, they will soon turn her round if they don't lose her!" However, ride I did, and witnessed the chase, which after being continued in a straight line for about a mile took a direction to the right, and the rear dogs, cutting across, contrived to get up and turn the hare. This gave an opportunity for all four to join and to have a fling in turn at the poor animal, who, however, contrived for to baffle them with ease, and some time the running was pretty enough, when, after going about half a mile in this way, we had gradually skirted round the main horror I heard several voices exbody of the party, and to my claim, "A beautiful chase-slip another brace," and, by G-d, Sir, another brace were slipped!!! Six to one settled the matter, and poor pussy was picked up for a stew ! The dogs were caressed as though they had accomplished wonders, and "the Pongoes" said it was "devilish good sport." Shortly after, a herd of antelopes broke The ball through our line, and one of this new race dismounted, took his double-barrelled Joe Manton, loaded with ball, and gave a deliberate shot at a buck as it bounded to the rear. missed its object, and striking on the very top of a rising ground just as the head of the rider next to him appeared above it, frightened him out of his two senses and a half, so he dismounted for a time. 'Twas alarmingly near producing "a Pongo funeral." At this instant, however, a fox was hailed at some considerable distance, and to lay the dogs in would require real hard galloping, but this did not suit "the Pongoes," so they trotted round him without slipping, until they came pretty close, and then "Chor da!" was vociferated by nearly all the party, and every dog in the field (four brace and a long-legged terrier) were at their speed in a moment! This sight almost killed me! I was thunderstruck and disgusted, though I still could not help laughing at the absurdity of the affair, when the fox began to play his tricks, for doubling and stopping, and turning, and twisting, brought the greyhounds into a cluster, knocking each other over, running in each other's way, yelping too like curs, and doing anything but catching their fox, who, amidst the confusion of dogs and horses jumbled together, had cocked up his brush and disappeared in his earth. Then ensued a scene I have never even heard of before; most of the party dismounted, and while some thrust bamboes into the holes (of which there were two), others hallooed into them with all their might, and one or two danced over the spot where he was supposed to be; but all to no purpose-Reynard would not stir. At last, one of the pokers declared he felt him biting the end of the bamboo. Oh! then came the rejoicing, and more yelling and more hallooing, and digging was commenced, but the ground proved too rocky for that work, and after an hour and a half's toil and trouble they determined to blow him out, and, “risible dictu," four barrels loaded with No. 5 were discharged smack into the holes, two into each; out came-not the fox-no-the smoke, and so it ended in that only, and we left the poor devil to ruminate upon what had happened to him. and his apartments underground, and to bless his stars that he was only pursued by only pursued by "a Pongo party." It would take up too much time were I to describe the thousand and one incidents of this sporting day, else I should, I think, divert you and your readers by telling you how gallantly four of "the tribe" amused a couple of fine large wolves for half an hour, when the animals took leave of them at a very easy pace, and the hunters (Shade of John J-—s, hunters!) cantered off to the tents, while another set pushed after a black buck, for they said they were sure he was lame, because he was quite the last of all the herd, and could only trot: -no venison for that day!! The party unoccupied by the wolves and the deer, consisting of four, in the mean time beat along the plain towards a patch of low jungle, when being sure of finding hares, and as sure that the only brace of dogs they had with them could not catch them, three Pongoes dismounted and took their guns, and one remained on horseback" to look out!" Well, Sir, fourteen shots they fired at nearly as many hares in the jungle, and, like Novice of your No. 7 at the Mallee's grey cat," they could not touch a feather. At last, however, close to the edge of the bushes out dashed a fine grey hare, and taking fairly into the plain the dogs were slipped, not however before a brace of barrels from one 66 Pongo" had warned her to be off sharp. A loose dog, and limping on the plain, chanced to see her as she came towards him, and he made a rush for her scut, which she very cleverly and carefully saved from his teeth, and turned back to the bushes with the dogs close to her, and skirting the jungle patch she was saluted with the double barrels of the other two shooters, the mounted " Pongo" all this time riding and shooting like a madman, but in spite of the dogs and the rider, in spite of the shot and roaring, off went pussy and never was seen again. By this time the heat was excessive, the greyhounds fagged to death, the horses tired, and ourselves hungry; So we rode for the tents at once, where we found the "wolf-hunting Pongoes" taking a snack before breakfast at the grapes and figs, and one of them we saw finishing a whole tongue with his own teeth! To have witnessed their feats when breakfast was brought you would have fancied that they had not taken a meal for a fortnight; there they were, with rice and eggs, mutton chops and fish, cold fowl and hot beefsteaks, Kedgeree and Kabobs, and Chutnee; for, as an old friend of mine once justly observed, “I would not give a d--n for Kabobs without Chutnee!" all, everything, went down their throats in rapid succession, and tedious time 'twixt that and tiffin, and cards were called for. There were none ! Oh, distressing, doleful, dismal news! no cards, and no going out of the tent from the excessive heat; 'twas the end of March, under the fly only of a subaltern's tent, and not a tree near that was high enough to hang a lizard. No cards! and three long hours before the midday meal could possibly be ready! What was to be done? sleep!yes-we lay down and sleptthen tiffed; many as though they never expected to get a dinner again; and some servants during our slumber having been ordered to secure some sparrows alive, and as they had luckily succeeded, out went six of the " Pongoes," tied a tent rope to a hat by way of a trap, and three rupees and a half were (after a spirited contest) lost and won on a Sparrow Match! ! ! We now ordered our horses; for the gusty wind was whirling the dust in eddies over the plain, dark clouds had assembled in huge masses to the west, threatening a storm, which as we approached home came down with great violence and drenched every soul to the skin: severe tumbles, occasioned more by the spur in the head than the spur on the heel, were our only amusements during our gallop, and as no serious accident had happened, we met again at the well-furnished dinner table, of our host of "the picnic," and the events of the day were discussed over dozen bottles of "Renny and Bell," as eagerly and proudly as the jovial members of the old Bristly and Union Hunts used to exult over theirs in former days and hail their successes in plain Hodgson. Spirits of those I loved and admired! proved gallant hearts of the Deccan's some proudest days! I deprecate your censure, while I blush for thus associating even the remembrance of your glorious deeds with the puny performances of these "Pongoes, to which indeed they bear as much resemblance as would the wars of the cods to the battle of the frogs and mice and yet they call themselves Hunters. But never mind that; the party caroused merrily and happily, and happier and merrier people I have seldom seen. I left them at an early hour of the dark hours, and next morning, long after cock crow, I passed through the dining room to mount my horse for my usual constitutional gallop, and saw the Pongoes located as follows:-three under the table; one on it; four on couches; and one, "the noblest of the flock," sitting fast asleep, with an empty wineglass fast held in his fingers. "Go to bed, old boy,' said I, as I slapped him on the back; bed." CLARET, IF YOU PLEASE, mumbled he, "and here's to you!!" And thus ended the " Pongo picnic." 66 go to E. E. SONG. Oh! we will run through pleasure's round, And where the god of mirth is found, To one pursuit then shall we bind No, never, while his ample mind And be one brimming toast addrest Some love to urge the high-train'd steed, While others wing the arrow's speed, Or point the levelled gun! And often where the ball-room beams The child of fashion flies, Where the music streams and the high hall gleams With light and with woman's eyes! Then let each pleasure have its zest, Give every sport its due, And be a brimming toast addrest To racket, quoit, and cue! Some turn away in cold disdain From beauty's breast of snow, And haste to their much loved jungle plain, To lay the wild hog low From pleasure's crowded halls they fly, Where woman's cheek is blushing, And deny that its finest tints can vie Then give each sport its due, SIGMA. SIR, STABLE TRICKS. The march of mind, which is the fashionable phraseology of this fashionable age, and more especially of this most fashionable Island, has beyond a doubt extended its "advance in line" to this blissful country, which fact is, in my opinion, undeniably established by the institutions of our Native School, the erection of the Town Hall, and the Mint, and the imposing approach to perfection of our literary society, and those improving twin associations, the Horticultural and Agricultural:-how refreshing to all, however, it would be if the Presidency influentials could get up a Full Pattacultural or Full Tentage-cultural institution. But that would only tend to show the march of money, and the Lord knows-at least every subaltern does-that that march has been made long ago, for while mind has marched on, money has marched off" Eheu, prisca dies." Well, Sir, 'tis no use grumbling, except that a growl now and then is to the mind like phlebotomy to the body; it relieves us from a repletion of grief-or, like the present system of reduction to our purses, relieves them from repletion also. But to return to my subject. Among the marches which this progress of civilization has brought into India, there is no doubt that one practice has been established in our colony, which hitherto had been confined to the more experienced traders in the mother country, and the lands adjacent-I allude to what may be termed Stable Science, or rather "Stable Tricks," that system of fraud and deception so long and so successfully practised by stable functionaries in England. and I fancy I shall stand uncontradicted when I assert that as much trickery, knavery, falsehood, and deceit are to be met with guarded against in the stables, commonly called Bombproof, at this Presidency, as in those of the most desperate dealers or veriest sharpers in Europe. I will ask any gentleman in the habit of making purchases in this island, whether I am not correct in saying that the generality of Arab dealers are quite as much awake to Bishop-ing and other fraudulent practices as any "swell cove of the horse fair" in the world? By-the-by, I suppose almost all your readers know that Bishop-ing means the operation of burning the teeth, to resemble the marks by which the age of horses are determined; and I saw, this very morning, a large flea-bitten grey with a seemingly six-year-old mouth (and called six by the Arab dealer) as nicely Bishop'd as could possibly be done, and his tushes very prettily filed down to a length corresponding with his assumed age. It would have taken in ninety-nine men out of a hundred,-an perienced friend pointed it out to How many blood and bone me. ex |