SOME FAMOUS PLAYERS AND PONIES 351 



also ranked high as a poloist, and as an excellent judge of a pony. 

 He always had a good one, and, what is more to the point, knew 

 how to ride him. Whilst serving on the staff of Sir J. Ferguson 

 and Lord Reay at Bombay, Captain Hamilton was well to the 

 front and played in nearly every match of note in Western 

 India. Mr. Hickie, of the 7th Royal Fusiliers, has also the 

 reputation of being a capital 'back,' as has Captain Kuper, of 

 the Royal Artillery. 



Major Beatson, nth Bengal Lancers, is another splendid 

 player, very brilliant, dashing, and a tremendous hitter ; he is a 

 remarkably fine horseman and no one can get more out of a 

 bad pony than he can ; whilst amongst native officers, nobles, 

 and gentlemen, few can compare for neatness and execution 

 with Nawab Mahommed Ali Bey, otherwise known as Afsur 

 Jung, A.D.C. to the Nizam of Hyderabad, honorary major 

 in the British Army, and A.D.C. to the Viceroy of India; 

 whilst Misri Khan, 1 8th Bengal Lancers ; Heera Singh, of the 

 1 2th Bengal Lancers ; Subadar Desaraj Urs, 3rd Madras Light 

 Cavalry ; Abbas Khan, and Ibrahim Beg are likewise remark- 

 ably fine all-round players, and valuable in any team. 



The iyth Lancers count some finished players amongst 

 their ranks, and none better than Captain Renton, who has 

 the reputation of being not only the best * back ' in India, but 

 a most brilliant all-round player, besides being always admir- 

 ably mounted. Lord Ava, Mr. E. D. Miller, and Mr. Rawlin- 

 son, also of the iyth Lancers, a most dashing forward player, 

 rank high, and deservedly so, as the ' Death's Head and Glory 

 Boys ' have swept the board at Indian tournaments during the 

 last few years, and have not only earned the reputation of being 

 one of the best playing regiments in India, but the best 

 mounted ; a fact testified to by the enormous prices fetched by 

 their ponies when sold at Umballa on March n, 1890, when 

 forty-five ponies averaged over 900 rupees each, one of Captain 

 Renton's, an Arab, Happy Lad, realising 1,550 rupees. 

 Amongst their Arabs, Budmash, Arab Lad, Outsider, Quick- 

 silver, Minaret, Prince, Perfection, James Pigg, Jumma, Star- 



