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HE Essex Hunt had their last meeting, for this season, at the City of London Tavern, the end of last month, when it was agreed to hunt four times a week next season; and for the accommodation of the gentlemen farmers who attend Romford market, they will hunt on a Thursday. We are informed, from good authority, that the Hunt intends giving a cup value fifty guineas, to be run for by Gentlemen Farmers, in the district of the Essex Hunt. The hounds have had great sport since Christmas; but very few foxes have beat them; and as the pack will be more complete, and the manager better acquainted with the country, next season, the most sanguine expectations are entertained, when that time arrives, that great sport will accompany it.

Extract of a Letter from Norwich,

dated April 1.

The present has been a week of much interest among the sporting world in this neighbourhood, no ' less than three doe hunts having taken place. The first was on Monday, by Capt. Darell's hounds, a doe being turned off on Forncett common, to a very large field of gentlemen:-the chase, though bard, proved but short, the doe being lamed; after shutting her up, however, for a few hours, she was turned off again in a true sporting style, and the hounds hunted well; but in going down a lane she was headed by a foot passenger, and pulled down by the hounds.

On the following day a doe, which had been hunted twice before, was turned off at Caister, near this city; after making a circuit of 14 or 15 miles in excellent style, she crossed the river near Mulbarton, and proceeded over the common, just at the time when the Norwich squadron of light horse volunteers, who had been performing the evolutions of a field-day, were preparing to return home. In an instant the military,. "armed at point exactly cap-à-pee," joined in the chase, to which, it will readily be conceived, their numbers and appearance gave a grand éclat. Being closely pursued by the hounds, the doe was forced to take to a pond of water, but being driven out from thence, she pursued a new course with redoubled speed, and after a chase of three hours and ten minutes, was taken alive in a shed at Mangreen.

On Wednesday a doe, from Lord Wodehouse's park, was turned off, she, however. shewed but little sport.

LORD Lowther's horse Tot is matched against Sir C. Bunbury's Fair Star, at the Second Newmarket Meeting, for 200 guineas.

THE Dake of Rutland's horse Snowdrift is matched against General Grosvenor's Azalia, for 200 guineas, at the next Newmarket July Meeting.

THREE horses started for the Easter plate, on Barham-Downs, this year, which was won by Mr.

Howard's

ing excellent sport.

A NOBLE peer, and a popular member of the lower house, are both said to have been lately considerably minus in their hazardous speculations.

AMONG the knowing circles, a new term has found its way into their vocabulary of gaming. In all appeals to chance, by the turn of a piece of money, the old designation of “head or woman," is changed for the apt allusion of * Duke of Darling."

ASTONISHING Performance. The wonderful mare belonging to Mr. Wilson, the liveryman, which performed thirty miles in one hour and forty minutes, on Thursday the 6th instant, finished a task unprecedented in the sporting calendar. The owner of the mare backed her on the 28th ult. for a wager of 200 guineas, to go fifty miles in three hours and a half, being at the rate of fifteen miles an hour. The animal went off in high condition on the Thursday, on the Woodford road, and did above fifteen miles within the hour, at a' steady trot, and continued to do the same in the next two hours; the difficulty in the performance was the last five miles in the last half hour, which was done in four minutes less than the given time. Betting was seven to four, and two to one, against the

mare.

On Sunday evening, the 23d, two young fellows agreed to gallop down Highgate-hill for a wager; one of the horses stumbled, and the rider broke his neck.

TROTTING MATCH.-On Easter Monday, a match was decided between the colt called Young Adonis,

of Terrington St. Clement's, Norfolk; and Hue-and-Cry, eight yrs. old, the property of Mr. James Mather, of the same place-five miles, for 20l.: which was performed by the colt in nineteen minutes, after turning round three times, and playing with his opponent past the fourth mile-stone, then beating him two furlongs, and carrying thirteen stone.

MR. King, the celebrated pigeon shot, undertook, on the 4th instant, for fifty guineas, to kill eighteen birds from a trap at twenty-one yards distance from the gun, which he performed with a bird to spare, He undertook, for a similar wager, to kill, with a double-barreled gun, eight birds out of ten, two being he failed by two. turned loose at once; but in this

A POINT of Honour.-A few days since two French officers, prisoners of war on parole at Bishop's Waltham, having had a dis pute, they agreed to decide the affair in an honourable way. A meeting was appointed in a field near the town, but a difficulty occurred in procuring weapons. It appears that the combatants were only in possession of one sword, and a case knife. French ingenuity made a pike of the knife, by confining it to the end of a stick; but the sword being considered the best weapon, they resolved to cast lots who should have it. After the sword and knife had been fairly placed in their hands, the duel commenced, and the swordsman gave his antagonist three wounds, one on the face, another on the arm, and a third across the body. The pikeman gave several dangerous hurts, and both fell on the ground; they remained bleeding

and disabled, until they were discovered by several passengers, who conveyed them to a public house in the vicinity. The officer who received the cuts from the sabre, was not expected to recover. His antagonist is out of danger.

PUGILISM. Gully and Crib, hitherto considered the Nisus and Euryalus, the Pylades and Orestes, in the pugilistic world, are likely to enter the lists as antagonists at no great distance of time. The friendship that subsisted between these first-rate heroes had been often assailed by the arts of envious intriguers and lovers of mischief; but it stood firm and unshaken by all their fraud and malice. Some recent losses, however, it is said, have soured Crib's temper, under the influence of which, according to report, he has betrayed symptoms of a disposition, if well cultivated and encouraged, to dispute the palm with Gully, who certainly now stands first in the ranks of pugilistic fame. Should a fight take place between them, it will be the most tremendous and interesting ever witnessed. Gully is allowed to be admirable in all his points, and is considered one of the most superb pugilistic figures that ever entered the arena. He is the favourite; but even his friends allow that Crib excels him in glut tony. They boast that he cannot be satisfied, and that he can carry away more beating than any man can give him.

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A PITCHED battle was fought last month, at Heyfield Common, Hants, between Davey, (who was the Gully of the country, he having beat Flowers, the coachman, near Hounslow, a few weeks since) and a native of Lansdowne, the nursery for boxers, of the name of

Hinton, who keeps a farm neari Nupledurham. It was a desperate battle, which lasted an hour without shifting. Both of them were dreadfully beat; but Davey was conquered by some hits, not to be stopped, of a tremendous kind. which his adversary placed on the round. Davey fought at the body, left side of his face in almost every and succeeded in planting most of

his blows. The match was for 2001.

ON Sunday morning, the 9th, two labouring men at Stanmore, Middlesex, went out to fight on Stanmore Common, and, after a long contest, one of them expired whilst on the ground. The Coroner (Mr. Hodgson) held an inquisition on the Wednesday following, on the body, and a verdict of Manslaughter was delivered. It did not appear whether the deceased had been killed by a blow, or by over exertion.

SPARRING MATCHES. At the

Fives Court, the end of last month, there was a considerable meeting of amateurs, to patronise the benefit of Gregson, the pugilist, who is about to commence publican, as being more lucrative than prizefighting. Gully, Crib, the two Belchers, and all the professors of setting-to, which was not altoge note, gave their assistance, and the ther bloodless, afforded pleasure to the assembly. A new mode of setting-to was introduced, but it will not be acted upon, as one of the Belchers clearly demonstrated. Gregson has very much improved by the gloves, and in mere settingto is equal to those by whom he has been beaten. About four hundred persons were present.

Gregson has since had another benefit, at the Fives Court, St. Martin's

Martin's-lane, which was attended by several hundreds of persons. The setting-to was between Gregson and young Belcher, (which was a novel, match) Cropley and Doghefty, &c. &c. Gully and Crib were not present. Some matches were made for real battles.

SO

MR. Lawrence, veterinary surgeon, of Birmingham, states, that a disease of the epidemic kind prevails at present amongst horses, in all parts of the kingdom. It is most generally known by the name of the Distemper." It is of the inflammatory kind, and generally attacks the lungs in a greater or less degree. It arises, most probably, from the suppression of the insensible perspiration, which often occurs during the prevalence of cold easterly winds. It is generally very improperly treated by the administration of cordials and heating medicines, in which case the inflammatory symptoms are increased, and death ensues. Bleeding to the amount of three or four quarts, on the first appearance of the symptoms, will be found useful; but if the disease has gone on until a discharge from the nostrils has taken place (which is the natural mode of cure) bleeding should not be practised. In all stages of the complaint, mashes and diaphoretics should be given. We do not offer the above (says Mr. L.) as a substitute for proper medical assistance; but during the existence of so general a calamity, we feel prompted to render all the service we can, by pointing out what ought to be abstained from, as injurious to the animal when labouring under this disease."

FROM the severity of the late winter, the mortality among the deer throughout the country has

been greater than was ever known. It is supposed that not less than from between four and five hundred have died in Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire, since November last.

ON Tuesday evening, the 28th ult. at nine o'clock, one Hensley, for a wager of ten guineas, started from the Horse and Groom, in the Curtain Road, Shoreditch, to go on foot to Swallow-street, Piccadilly, and to return to the Horse and Groom, in fifty minutes, the distance of ground being more than seven miles and a half; which hé accomplished in one minute less than the time allowed, notwithstanding the streets being very wet and muddy.

ON the 12th instant was run, over Knutsford Heath, one of the most severe, and well-contested races ever witnessed there by the oldest inhabitant of the place, or its vicinity. It was a match between Abraham Wood, the celebrated Lancashire pedestrian, and Shipley, from Nottinghamshire, of noted racing celebrity, which was won by the former, beating his competitor so little, that the judges were embarrassed, and some time in declaring the winner. The sum they ran for was 2101. the distance 440 yards, and was performed in the short space of fifty-six seconds.

made on the 29th ult. between A WAGER of fifty guineas was Captain Hare and Mr. Cortey, of Wigmore-street, Gent. that the latter did not from Sevenoaks to

go

Blackfriars-bridge, in two hours and forty minutes, on the 17th of April. On the day appointed, Mr. Cortey started at Sevenoaks, with the weather very unfavourable for the undertaking, and he did nine

miles