Maori Equestriennes.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 118, 13 February 1872, Page 7

Maori Equestriennes.

[! A correspondent of the Autfddn'l Jlerahl 1 1 gives the following description of a race at jOhinemuri, in which the riders were Maori ' women: —“There was one race ridden by ! Maori girls, oi 1 women, and they rode cn ' j e-waller, on men’s saddles, with their naked [I feet in the stirrups, or rather all except the I gi'eat toe, which is left outside, in order, as . it would seem, to clutch the stirrip-iron more r | fully. I should here remark that the men s {wore boots and spurs, but the women were all as I have described. No preparation '•: seemed necessary by these damsels. Their j ordinary costume was not varied at all, cx- [ copt that those who wore boots and stockings , took them off. Their loose gowns, however, .! were sufficient for propriety, and hy no . i means ungraceful. I was astoii’shed to see done young and handsome mother take her {infant from her breast, after having adminisj. j tcrod a comfortm * draught to it—l presume i to cons >lg it for its mother’s absence—hand ’ it to another woman, and jump on a horse to ’ rids the race. And splendidly they rode—- ' firm in their seats, and reckless in their boars ing. If the Men deserved praise for the »; speed at which they went, the women doe served greater. There was no mistake that [ I they each meant to win if they coitld. Two . | of them were thrown off at mice on turning I a corner. One of them, I was sorry to see, was my friend the young matron who had j. { just left her baby; but the übiquitous Mr , Mackay was at hand, and had the pleasure jj of picking lip the—an this sense only, 1 hope, ‘fallen women,’ and restoring then! to their position. I was glad to hear that no J damage was done, and I saw the mother rc- , turn to her infant, smiling and apparently ji happy.”