MAKURI.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5018, 6 May 1895, Page 2

MAKURI.

Fnm Our Own Comymndent. Loiijsj before day-break -on the first—signs of mutual excitemeut pervaded our little township and the surrounding district. Gleams of light could be seen Hashing about inside our whares and out, horses were being caught by tho light of a lantern, and we were in a stato of gleesomo anticipation. Snatches of songs and whistling could be beard by sleepy neighbours, who—remembering the day—forboro* to grumble. It was our " day off," and we were going in for a realgood time amongst the pigeons, pheasants, quail, and duck, sparing only the lovely little blue mountain duck, which are scarce and which we are anxious to preserve, and woe unto any " new chum " or city sportsman, who,lured to our locality, by rumours of phenomenal bags, should be in an unwary moment "pot" one of our rare blue mountain duck.

Tho " get up " of our sportsmen was worthy of notice. In it, ono could read self-reliance, energy, will and perseverance; no " dappor dandy" among them; all were in bush attire; dark woollen shirts open at the collar, pants of many darns and patches (patches that bad been stitched on by the wearers, with strong thread and noedle of proper dimensions), water-tight boots, leggings, and a hat—a hat with a whole history; a useful, soft, woll-stitched tweed, of no shape in particular; a hat one could use to " lift off" tho billy with, and in fact a hat that had seen service in a variety of ways! The day was perfect; warm and sunshining, without a breath of wind, and in the evening, there were sevoral very decent bags to be seen and admired. In one, there were thirteen pigeons and a brace of plump pheasants; in another, a good many pigeons, shot by a small lad. with a pea-rifle and bullet cartridges. Everyone seemed pleased with their days' sport, but I gathered from their remarks about the distanco they had been that pigeons are not numerous. ' The day ended with a pleasant dance held in Mr Dunning's woolshed, at which tbcro wcro about twenty couples.

Several times lately we have been puzzled at seeing the door of our whare wide open in the morning, knowing it had beon carefully shut on tho previous night. Divors pieces of meat had disappeared so we concluded the wind had blown open tho door and a dog had got in. Ono night being less sleepy than nsual, we heard bump, bump, bnmp, at regular intervals at the door, so got up to watch proceedings. Very soon the latch slipped back with the constant shaking, the door flew open, and in marched " Jess," our old sheep dog, with nose high up in the air, snuffing around for stray legs of mutton. That door has been securely fastened since then.