262 THE RACES. 



customers. The hobby-horses swarmed with Negresses and 

 Hindoos of the lower order. The Negresses, I am sorry to 

 say, forgot themselves, kicked up their legs, shouted to the 

 bystanders, and were altogether incondite. Tlie Hindoo 

 women, though showing much more of their limbs than the 

 Negresses, kept them gracefully together, drew their veils 

 round their heads, and sat coyly, half frightened, half amused, 

 to the delight of their " papas," or husbands, who had in some 

 cases to urge theln to get up and ride, while they stood by, as 

 on guard, with the long hardwood quarter-staff in hand. 



As I looked on, considered what a strange creature man 

 is, and wondered what possible pleasure these women could 

 derive from being whirled round till they were giddy and 

 stupid, I saw an old gentleman seemingly absorbed in the veiy 

 same reflection. He was dressed in dark blue, with a straw 

 liat. He stood w^ith his hands behind his back, his knees 

 a little bent, and a sort of wise, half-sad, half-humorous smile 

 upon his aquiline high-cheek-boned features. I took him 

 for an old Scot ; a canny, austere man a man, too, who had 

 known sorrow, and profited thereby; and I drew near to him. 

 But as he turned his head deliberately round to me, I beheld 

 to my astonishment the unmistakeable features of a Chinese. 

 He and I looked each other full in the face, without a word ; 

 and I fancied that we understood each other about the merry- 

 go-round, and many things besides. And then we both walked 



