1 92 RIDING 



The stag (which had been imported from Lord Derby's herd at 

 Knowsley), finding that he could not shake off the hounds, turned to 

 the left towards the Saltwater River, and rushing down a precipi- 

 tous and stony approach to the river, he instantly took soil in very 

 deep water, with the pack clustering round him. It was extremely 

 difficult for horses to get to where the stag took soil, but by careful 

 leading Mr. Alfred Watson, who was acting master, and the whips 

 got to the river, which was flooded and running a torrent, and here 

 was witnessed one of the most gallant and daring exploits I have 

 ever seen. 



Finding that the stag refused to leave the water, and that the 

 hounds could not be whipped off, Mr. Alfred Watson deliberately 

 forced his horse into the rushing torrent, where he instantly sank, 

 and, on coming to the surface, the horse and rider were swept down 

 the current, rendering it necessary for Mr. Watson to part company 

 with his steed and to swim for his life, encumbered as he was with 

 his hunting-boots and heavy clothing. However, he got out at 

 one side of the river, while the horse landed on the opposite side. 



One would suppose that such an experience would have been 

 sufficient to cool the courage of any man, but Mr. Watson had 

 no sooner reached the bank of the river than he divested himself 

 of the heavy portion of his dress, took hold of a rope, swam out 

 through the raging torrent, roped the stag, and drove off the hounds, 

 but the current was so strong that he could not hold on by the rope, 

 and was forced to drop it and leave the water. However, his cou- 

 rage and intrepidity were the means of securing the animal, for a 

 little later on the rope was reached from the bank, and the stag 

 was landed and placed in the van. 



Hunting in Australia began in the days when English 

 troops and English officers were quartered there with very 

 little occupation and plenty of leisure. The dingo or wild 

 dog of Australia, like his congener the jackal of India, made an 

 excellent substitute for the English fox. Here is an account 

 of a run early in the fifties of this century:- 



Mr. FitzRoy's hounds had a brilliant run on Saturday last, the 

 5th of June. The fixture was Vineyard, the seat of H. Macarthur, 

 Esq. ; the hour 5 A.M. On being thrown into cover, the hounds 

 almost immediately unkenneled a fine dingo, which made off at a 

 good pace along the north bank of the river towards Kissing Point. 



