Racing in India. 41 



the ability to keep the reader's attention fixed as much as 

 possible on the subject matter, without allowing it to wander 

 to the consideration of the words used. Hence, I try, as 

 far as I am able, to write plain and correct English ; and 

 to avoid any words, phrases, ambiguities or tricks of style 

 which might arrest the attention of the reader, whose train 

 of thought might thus be broken by my meddlesome inter- 

 ference. Writers of 'pure literature' are, of course, free to 

 pay more attention to words than to facts or ideas. In many 

 Persian and Urdu books (take the Fasan-i-Ajaib for instance) 

 the authors display their literary skill solely by the manner 

 in which they manipulate the actual words. 



I liked the life in India and the facilities for sport to be 

 found there, so much, that I got transferred, after passing 

 the requisite language examination, from the Royal Artillery 

 into the Bengal Staff Corps, in which I had more pay and 

 far less work to do. During the nine years I remained in 

 the Staff Corps and the one in ' The Buffs,' I devoted myself 

 almost entirely to the training of horses for racing and chas- 

 ing, and had a remarkably * good time,' which was but little 

 broken in upon by military duty ; for my different com- 

 manding officers liked my sporting ways, and gave me as 

 much leave to go racing as they possibly could. I must 

 not inflict an account of these ten years on my readers ; 

 for its interest would principally be local. Besides, I have 

 already committed it to paper in Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



With usually ten or twelve horses in my stable, I had 

 always something to ride, and I profited greatly by the able 

 teaching of poor Jack Irving, the jockey, who often came 

 and stayed with me. Jack, who was the finest jockey we 

 have ever had in India, had graduated in John Scott's stable, 

 and was a thorough workman. I won some steeplechases, 

 and a few welter flat races; but had, later on, to give up 

 the game I dearly loved, as my health would not stand the 

 strain of wasting. I had, however, quite enough to do, train- 

 ing, schooling and teaching my stable boys to ride. 



