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Having thus endeavoured to aware, who consider it a mark of

describe the "Nibbs," let me recommend it to the attention of my sporting friends. Let any one of them try one of the new ones, by driving out 10 or 12 miles to a shooting party, shooting all day, and retiring in the evening in a "Nibbs," with the same excursion performed on horseback; and if he does not agree with me, he is made of harder stuff than any one I have hitherto known, who has tried the experiment.

There are some people, I am

SIR,

effeminacy in any man in health getting into a Buggy or Palankeen at all to these, and such as these, I do not address myself; but, at the same time, I confess I see no reason why we should not, in any climate, follow our sports and amusements with as little personal fatigue and as much ease as is compatible with the true enjoyment of the pursuit in view. I remain, my dear Mr. Editor, Yours, A SUBSCRIBer.

LEAPS AND

Your very amusing and intelligent correspondent, "Nimrod," in the third number of your Magazine, mentions 15 feet as a particularly good leap for a small Arab. It unquestionably is so, more particularly carrying the weights mentioned and coming on the leap so unexpectedly; but the following will show that our little horses can do much more. A bay horse, about 14 h., who had run and won one or two Hunter's Plates at Nagpore, cleared hedge and ditch carrying about 10st. Three gentlemen were present and carefully measured the distance covered, which was found to be 23 feet 6 inches; it appeared so extraordinary, that the rider brought the horse a second and a third time to the leap, which he cleared in the same gallant style ; and for fear of mistakes, it was again measured. The gentlemen who were present can now vouch for the fact.

Talking of horses, no mention has, I believe, been made of that very superior horse Prince, whose time for two miles has surpassed any on record. It is well known by many gentlemen that in a private trial he ran his two miles

FEATS.

in 3m. 56s., carrying considerably above 9st., I am afraid to mention the lbs. Immediately after this trial he challenged, or was challenged by, Sir W. R-d's "Pet," Prince giving 4lb. one mile heat, 2000 Rs. H. F. He went to Hyderabad to meet Pet, but fortunately for his credit (for I hear he was out of order) Pet went lame and paid forfeit. Prince never started after. I believe he only ran twice publicly, both times against Pet, but the time was nothing extraordinary. Prince is a dark bay with black points, stands about 14h. 3in., is amazingly powerful in every respect; has a beautiful Arab head, but a very peculiar straight hind leg; he was originally bought out of a lot for 400 Rs., and was used as a riding horse for many years, before he commenced his racing career.

By the way, Mr. Editor, you seem to forget that your subscribers might wish to bind the quarterly numbers of your Magazine together, for you have changed the size of them.*

A SUBSCRIBER.

Nagpore, 27th April, 1829.

We have already explained that this is a mistaken supposition.-ED.

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SIR,

HOG HUNT.

The third number of the Sporting Magazine commences with an address to Subscribers, &c., in which you say that "men are too apt to suppose that events which every day pass before their eyes, or in which they are the chief actors, afford but little interest or amusement to the rest of the community, and therefore are they indifferent to give those events a permanent record. Such modesty or rather indifference, if persisted in, will be fatal to the permanence of this publication." I am therefore induced, from the deep interest I take in that publication, to transmit to you the following particulars of a hog hunt, however unworthy they may prove of a place in the same records with Nimrod's account of the splendid fellow at Merichgaum.

A small party of us found ourselves last month at the village of Watundra, in the direction of Cambay, and having made all due preparation on the preceding evening, went out at daybreak, on the morning of the 22nd, with one hundred and twenty beaters, to try the neighbouring jungle. We succeeded in the course of an hour or so in turning up one small boar amongst the enclosures, and having again joined the beaters, and reformed the line, we entered the main jungle, through which we had moved about a mile, when an immense boar was observed going off in front. He was shortly afterwards joined by the sounder (a sow and seven, all very large). They might have been with him from the commencement, for all I know to the contrary, for the jungle was too close to allow of my speaking with certainty were that a matter of consequence.

He, however, parted company as soon as he felt himself the sole object of attack, and went off at a most terrific pace. The word "terrific" applies more particularly to the nature of the country and the necessity that existed for riding over it at speed; it was covered with bauble bushes and high grass lying in large flakes, and full of holes, not cracks, just large enough for a horse to flounder into and flounder out of again with safety if well held up. The pace, however, soon brought us upon terms with our customer, and

spears numbers one, two, three, and four were quickly taken; for, as a correspondent of yours very justly observes, these large hogs cannot turn quicker than a horse, or something to that effect. Fighting now became the order of the day, and no ground could have been better adapted for the operations of our foe; every bush being surrounded-nay, almost covered-with long flakes of grass, formed so many little citadels, and then it was that the courage of our little Arabs told, for manoeuvring was out of the question, the place was too close. He was not to be seen until we were near enough to look down upon him through the briars, when a "firm hand and eagle eye" in the use of the spear, and nerve in horse and man to stand a charge, became absolutely necessary, for to avoid him was impossible. In this manner we received eight successive charges, but the order of them I recollect not, the state of excitement was too great. One horse was seen standing bolt up on his hind legs, his fore as far out of the way as he could well put them, with his rider in no very enviable situation;

and the boar passing from under him with the spear sticking transversely through his mouth, just between the grinders, adding seriously to the formidability of his offensive armament. He, however, fortunately for us, deposited his extra weapon in the next stronghold he entered. Another man and horse were fairly capsized by the weight of a charge; the horse is still laid up from the effects of it. The last incident that occurred was that of a man thrown, and who all but changed seats from his horse's back to the boar's; his situation was perilous. Hogs, however, are no more made of iron than any other of God's creatures; the brave fellow could stand no more, and at length fell exhausted under wounds innumerable, and bellowed forth his gallant spirit with almost a lion's roar.

I have seen many hogs, large hogs too, and esteemed such by

old hog-hunters, but can safely say that I never saw the match of our late friend, either in size, strength, or courage; he, however, as luck would have it, proved a bungler with his tusks, they not having told but once, and then but slightly. I know not whether hogs, like man, may or may not make more use of the ivories on one side than the other, but if they do, I think I may fairly conclude that our nags are indebted for the safety of their intestines to the deficiency of an inch or two of tusk on one side of the monster's mouth.

The Wagrees declared him the most jubra rascal they had ever seen, and his age to be about eight or ten; when he was brought in, the village actually crowded around our tents to obtain a sight of him.

JUNGLEE. Baroda, 9th April, 1829.

PARODY.

To hunt, or not to hunt? that is the question;
Whether 'tis prudent in the soul to suffer

The pangs of self-denial, or to urge
With enthusiastic rage and bold defiance
The rapid chase? To hunt; to ride,-
No more; and by that ride to say we fly
From thought, that cankerworm to gay desire,
From cares that feed upon the Lamp of Life-
'Tis a fruition devoutly to be wished-
To hunt to ride-to ride! perchance to fall!
Aye, there's the rub!

For in the mad pursuit what falls may come,
When every horse each hardy sinew strains,
And every breeze conveys enrapturing sounds,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That gives the fatal blow to promised joys;
That taints with baleful blight each blooming hope;
Who would forego this madness of delight?
Who without pain could hear a chase described,

Or silent sit while OUKOI boast their Feats,

When he himself might mount the neighing steed

From OUKOS, a spoon; vide slang dictionary.

And urge the sprightly chase ?-Beneath a roof
Who would wear out the tedious, doleful day,
Oppress'd with discontent and dire remorse,
But that the dread of Fate precipitate
That unknown Field, where, destitute of aid,
With shiver'd limb he haply may repent
His forward zeal, and fury uncontroll'd
Puzzles the will, and makes us rather pine
In humble cell than seek for distant joys
Where pain and death th' advent'rous Hero wait.

SIR,

BAD GUNPOWDER.

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Knowing of no channel so good for attracting the attention of the makers as the Sporting Magazine, I have been induced to write these lines in the sincere hope that the above-mentioned gentlemen, whose powder seems to be preferred, may make some arrangement by which Sportsmen may be secured against the shameful impositions pawned on them under the name of the Dartford Gunpowder.

If one of the respectable houses in Bombay, say Messrs. Wooler and Co., was commissioned with the sale of it direct from the makers, a notification of which under the signature of the house should be made public, we should then, even if the powder should reach us in a damaged state, have the satisfaction of knowing that the article was genuine, a fact which scarce anything could make me believe to have been the case

with the powder I and several of my friends have been favoured with this season.

As for the corks!-it really seems as if pains were taken to render it impossible to draw them without their breaking to atoms. I don't think I have opened a single canister without having to lay the whole of its contents on paper before it could possibly be used, unless indeed I should run the risk of having a bunged nipple or blocked-up touch-hole-a pleasant dilemma under a hot sun and birds on the wing every instant ! The nuisance I have now stated occurs with the genuine Dartford Canisters, and I do heartily join with the writer of the article I have noticed, in his hope that some plan be adopted for the remedy of this serious evil.

The

sliding tops are also objectionable, not being sufficiently close fitted to secure the powder against damp.

If Messrs. W. and C. Eley, manufacturers of the Patent wire cartridge, would send only several boxes of them containing B. B. Shot, they would deserve well of all bustard shooters. They might also send out some calculated for wild ducks, but I should not recommend any higher numbers such as 5, 6, or 7, &c., &c., as birds, almost always lying close in this country, do not require the shot

being thrown further or stronger than the ordinary method of loading can effect, and the expense is, I understand, considerable.

In

the hope this letter may attract attention in England, I am, &c. &c., &c.,

A LOVER OF SHOOTING.

THE THREE MACS.

I.

The sun had sunk on Deccan's rocky plains,
And the tall Ghauts frown darker in the shade;
To the sad moon each love-sick bard complains
Of the hard heart of his too-lovely maid.

Now jolly topers lose the little brains

That Nature gave, as if they were but made,

When the day set, the brimming draught to drain,
And when that draught was drunk-to drink again.

II.

Beneath a two-poled tent's capacious round
A band of hardy hunters muster'd strong.
They had toil'd hard, nor had kind Fortune frown'd
Upon their spears that day; and deep and long
With wine and beer their arduous sports they crown'd,
While on the night roll'd forth the noise of song.
A few to silence and their pillows slunk

Some drank a little ;-others got d-d drunk.

III.

Oh! how a man inclines towards his kind,

While his heart glows with every kind sensation,
As wine unlocks the portal of the mind

Erst closed by care; in such a situation

The taste, though sharpen'd, grows not so refined
As to distinguish 'tween each nice gradation.
Lives there the man, who when a leetle tipsy
Sees not a Venus in each Indian gipsy ?

IV.

They say that mighty Byron wrote, when drink
Had steep'd each sense in ruin-nicknamed blue ;

It may be so-yet still I do not think

It is a course which poets should pursue.
Apollo drank plain water from the brink
Of Helicon, and, even if 'twere true,
'Twould throw their gentle votaries in a fever
Supposing that the muses swigg'd Geneva.

V.

Our three old shipmates had arrived that day
And join'd the meeting when the sport was o'er.
They rode on baggage tattoos from Bombay,
And kept a devilish sharp look out for boar.

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