^00 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



December 27th. — Alan and Mr. Davis — Sir Dennis's 

 Private Secretary — started for Kapurthala. The rest of 

 our party went to the races. This is the Lahore " week." 

 Everybody for miles round comes in for it, and what with 

 races, polo tournaments, gymkhanas and balls, our time 

 was fully occupied. 



There appear to be no bookmakers on the Lahore race- 

 course, and betting is carried on by a " totalisator," which 

 seems the same as the French pari-mutuel, the whole of 

 the amount betted being divided amongst the backers of 

 the winning horse. The excitement was great w T hen an out- 

 sider called ••Charing Cross" won. Only two had backed 

 him, and five hundred rupees were divided between them. 



In the evening we went to a ball at the Montgomery 

 Hall, a fine building with a perfect dancing floor made of 

 teak boards set edgeways. 



Wednesday. — We went to the final polo match of the 

 tournament, which was won by the Maharaja of Putiala.' s 

 team. They are admirably mounted, and the Maharaja is a 

 very fine player ; but by far the best of any one was the 

 new member of the Putiala team. He had been a native 

 officer in one of our Indian cavalry regiments, and was well 

 known as one of the best polo players in the country, and 

 noted for his quick play and unerring eye. Putiala, deter- 

 mined to have the best team in India, " bought " him by 

 making him colonel of his body-guard 



