multiplying reel could not gather the line fast enough. I walked out, and made all ready for another rush, and then touched my friend once more, in order gently to insinuate that I had something more to say to him. He sprung to the surface, lashed the water into foam around him for a moment, and was off again like a bowman's arrow. This time, however, he sobbed on it, when he had bolted about 100 yards; so I wheeled him round into the calm water to the right, where, after three-quarters of an hour's hard work and excitement for his dying struggles were still, trying to the tackle—I brought him triumphantly on shore. When taken home to my tents he weighed 28 lbs. (To be continued.) THE GREAT CUTTER MATCH BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE. HAD the cap of Fortunatus been on hire "by the day or hour," and thus available to the jolly young watermen of Cam and Isis, what time they arranged that Wednesday, the 15th ult., should witness the putting forth of their prowess for the championship of the oar, a more perfect day for such a purpose could not have been. With a sky of unsullied azure, whence a dazzling sun was shedding living light and glory, came young playful zephyrs, now kissing the cheek of lady passing fair, now fanning the brow of cavalier, and anon decking with gems and waving silver the bosom of old Thames. Long before noon, the greatest assemblage that, probably, ever congregated to see a boatrace, occupied every fathom of the river's banks from Westminster Bridge to Putney, the line selected for the Match. It will be recollected that two contests had already taken place over the same course, between picked crews of either University, in both of which the Oxford men were defeated; in that of last season most signally. The natural consequence was, that Cambridge had the call in the market; indeed, takers might almost have fixed their own prices. Certainly, the appearance of the Oxford men entitled them to a higher average than the popular voice assigned,-a finer eight having rarely filled the thwarts of a cutter. At half-past one both cutters were manned, the following composing the crews: OXFORD. 1. Mountain, Merton College. 2. Pocock, Merton College. 3. Maberley, Christ Church College. 4. Rogers, Balliol College. 5. Walls, Brazennose College. 6. Royds, Brazennose College. 7. Meynell, Brazennose College. CAMBRIDGE. 1. Shadwell, St. John's College. 4. Ridley, Jesus College. 5. Uppleby, Magdalen College. The wager boats were first-rate samples of the taste and science with which such craft are turned out by the crack builders of the Thames. The Oxford cutter was plain black, with a gold moulding outside, and light blue within,-her crew wearing blue striped Guernseys, and black straw hats; the Cambridge, black outside, with gold moulding and BRITISH ARTISTS, AND PAINTERS IN WATER-COLOURS. 371 lilac within, the crew sporting white Guernseys, and white straw hats. The umpires were Mr. Bewick for Oxford, and Mr. Selwyn for Cambridge; our much-valued friend, W. H. Harrison, Esq., the universally esteemed and respected Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, being elected to serve as referee. Long before the hour named for starting, the river above Westminster Bridge was a moving mass of every conceivable variety of floating convenience, as well as being occupied by some half-dozen monstrous inconveniences, in shape of steam-boats-as dangerous and abominable nuisances as ever infested a similar scene. At the signal to "give way," the Oxford men jumped off with the lead at most resolute work, their adversaries being taken somewhat aback. In a few strokes, however, the Cantabs had good way on, and bounded onward "as darts the dolphin from the shark." Up to Vauxhall the men of Isis led gallantly, and, as they passed under the bridge, shouts arose from the crowds with which it was thronged— "Oxford wins." Abreast the Red House, however, things wore a different aspect. The Cambridge men, with their long slashing stroke, had laid their boat alongside that of their antagonists. At Battersea Bridge the race had assumed another form. The crew from the banks of Cam had forged ahead a clear boat's length, and were evidently winning, though after a fashion very unlike that in which they cut down the Oxford blues last season. The straight run home, up to Putney Bridge, was as manly and splendid a struggle as ever was seen on blue water. The distance between the cutters was evidently not on the increase, and as they shot the goal-Putney Bridge-the Cantabs had only the best of it by a good half boat's length; the course, about five miles and three quarters, was announced by the referee to have been done in twenty-nine minutes and a half. The most perfect harmony marked the whole of the proceedings, and we cannot close our notice of this noble match, without offering our unqualified praise of the manner in which all engaged in it conducted themselves, or assuring the losers that few victories could be compared with the honour of being defeated in such a contest. THE EXHIBITIONS OF THE SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS, AND OF THE NEW SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER-COLOURS. We never remember either of these Exhibitions so meagre in sporting subjects as each is in the present season. While both are rich in productions of rare merit in almost every matter to which the genius or industry of the artist can give interest, or existence, that, peculiar to our tastes and concern, has either been wholly neglected, or treated in a fashion that makes us regret it did not escape attention. To begin with the Society of British Artists, for example, in which we find such gems as No. 39. A young Lady in a Turkish Dress; No. 204. The Memnons-Sunrise; No. 257. The Indian Mother; and very many others of the same class of excellence : we have No. 594. Study of Spaniel Puppies, and, in the same room, some horse pieces that would disgrace the sign-board of a Tom and Jerry shop. Of the few things in our way, the first that struck us was— No. 214. Tourville and the Port of Cherbourg, on the Coast of Normandy: T. C. HOFLAND. This is a fine masterly picture, painted, we believe, for the Earl of Egremont; and it does good credit both to patron and artist. The woodland foreground, with its rustic accompaniments, blends and harmonizes perfectly with the bold distance of ocean; while, like a white sea-bird returning from her voyage, a yacht, clothed with snowy canvas, is seen making for the land. Both in design and execution, there is everything that we could desire in this clever composition. No. 184. Portraits of the Children of the Earl and Countess of Galloway. F. Y. HURLSTONE. We cast back to this picture to offer our testimony to the admirable character with which the artist has endued all his little galloways, quadruped as well as biped. No. 384. W. Foster, Esq., with Portraits of a favourite Horse and Greyhounds. The animals here are executed with all the truth and finish for which Mr. Hancock is so distinguished. No. 409. A Study from Nature, of Pincher and Wowskie, celebrated Terriers, with their Offspring. H. B. CHALON. We do not like the way in which these portraits are grouped, or treated, though they have the air of being faithful representatives of their originals. No. 479. River Trout. E. HAVELL. This is the oddest composition that ever was perpetrated, and we hardly know how to convey an idea of it here is something like it. Imagine a brace and a half of river-trout laid upon a table, under Mesmeric influences-two in somnambulism, and one in delirium, standing upon its tail. This is as near as we can go; the whole affair, as the novelists have it, "is easier imagined than described." The Painters in Water-colours have done still less for us than their brethren of Suffolk-street; yet we might have expected better luck, seeing the industry of some of the members-one, Mr. Aaron Penley, for instance, having no less than eight-and-twenty pictures in the Exhibition. The first item in our way is No. 91. Gone away. G. H. LAPORTE. Very much in that artist's style, without any positive fault or excellence. No. 175. Fowls, and Interior of Stable. E. DUNCAN and C. H. WEIGALL. This little Siamese effort has much merit. Chanticleer is capital, and all is in admirable keeping. Were our rules not as exclusive as they are, we should have great gratification in offering our tribute of praise to many distinguished efforts of genius which adorn the walls of the gallery in Pall Mall. Several pictures, by Mr. R. K. Penson, and one, The Last Man, by Mr. W. N. Hardwick, rank with the highest-class productions of the school to which they belong. YACHTING. SYMPTOMS of preparations are here and there to be seen in the different yards, at Cowes and Southampton, and a brilliant season is anticipated; an extra Cup, of great value, is talked of, and rumour (perhaps, rather prematurely) leads us to hope that our shores will be honoured by the presence of our youthful and lovely Queen, and her Royal Consort, during the summer. We ardently hope such may be the case, it being the only thing that can give additional éclat to the movements of the splendid establishment of the Royal Yacht Squadron. R. Y. S. INTELLIGENCE. Mr. William Lyon, in his schooner yacht, Merlin, in his passage to Jamaica, touched at St. Domingo, and received the greatest attention from General Ingalac, the first minister of the Haytian Republic, and obtained the privilege of yachts, of the R. Y. S., entering the Haytian ports on the same footing as men-of-war. Mr. Delmé Radcliffe has sailed in his cutter yacht, the Fanny, for Norway and St. Petersburg. Lord Lovain has purchased the cutter yacht, Turquoise, seventy-seven tons, and has taken Norris Castle. Sir Hyde Parker has purchased Mr. Neil's new schooner yacht, the Louisa, 123 tons; and Lord Powerscourt has bought Colonel Markham's cutter yacht, the Antelope, ninety tons, of Mr. Bates, the Secretary to the R. Y. S. ON THE BEARING REIN. To the Editor of the Sporting Review. SIR, In the last number of your admirable REVIEW, I perceive that your correspondent on that vexata questio, as you have justly called it, the Disuse of the Bearing-rein, has proposed a remedy for only one of the evils brought forward, by Nimrod, as arguments against the disuse of the bearing-rein on wheelers in coaches. It is now full twenty years since I, myself, discarded the bearing-rein; and I have always found my horses go better and freer without it; and I have never yet met with an accident of any kind whatever. The fact is, that the danger arising from the bit fastening in the pole-hook, can only occur through the negligence of the ostler in harnessing, and the carelessness of the driver, who most decidedly ought, before taking his reins in hand, to see that every strap and buckle is in its proper place. As, however, many gentlemen consider this to be too much trouble, I take leave to propose the following remedy. In the present pole-hook, the line, a, b, fig. 1, is a leather strap, fixed across the opening of the polehook, by means of buckles. Now, if, instead of this strap, a small steel bar were used, acting with a spring at joint a, precisely in the same manner as a common pen-knife, and resting, when closed, on a small ledge, or nitch, made in the pole-hook, at b, in order to give it greater strength, and keep it steady, it seems to me that the whole danger would be overcome. Of course, the steel bar opens outwards, and, when open, is in the position a, b, fig. 2. And thus, in the first place, if the steel bar were not put down, after the leaders are hooked on, but left in the position it is in fig. 2, it would be so evident and easily seen, that it could not fail to attract the attention of the driver; nd, in the second place, as merely pushing the steel bar down, is, comparatively, no trouble, grooms would be less likely to neglect doing it. I CONFINE my notice of our sport, during the month, to a brief detail of yesterday's gala, the most splendid anniversary of the Royal Easter Hunt of which any memorial is in existence. A public announcement having been made, that it was the gracious intention of Her Majesty and Prince Albert to honour the meet at Ascot Heath, on Easter Monday, with their presence, it is needless to say that thousands were attracted that had not been led to the field by the Syren music of hound or horn. The morn dawned as became it on so auspicious an occasion, and a day followed in every way worthy the scene. As the custom has been for the last few years, a dejeuné à la fourchette, on a scale of true English liberality and elegance, was given by Mr. Charles Davis, Her Majesty's huntsman, at his beautiful lodge, at the Royal kennels. Here, long before noon, was assembled as gay and aristocratic a party as ever donned scarlet for its most legitimate purpose. At one o'clock, Her Majesty, driven in a pony phaeton by Prince Ernest, and accompanied by a right royal escort, was seen approaching the heath, which was literally thronged by a multitude in holyday array. On arriving at the Grand Stand, the Queen was met by her Royal Consort and his cortège, and being handed from her carriage by the Prince, ascended to the drawing-room, and appeared in the balcony. At this moment the coup d'oeil was the most animating and national that it has been my fortune to witness. In the balcony of the |