PAPERCHASING IN INDIA. 385 



chase was a chapter of accidents. Mr. " Tougal," who 

 had helped to lay the paper, told me afterwards that 

 two of the unbreakable mud walls were four feet three 

 inches high, which is a very formidable height, con- 

 sidering that the horses had to jump out of deep mud. 

 That chase took place on 2nd January, 1890, and I 

 think it was a far higher test of 'cross country clever- 

 ness, than hunters in the shires have to go through. 



Mr. Clark, who lived and paperchased for several 

 years in Calcutta, and who was a large horse dealer in 

 Hilmorton, near Rugby, tells me that he frequently 

 measured the mud walls which were built for these 

 chases, and often found them full five feet high. The 

 large majority of horses ridden in these events are well 

 bred Australians, which, taking them all round, are the 

 best jumpers I have ever seen. Some "country- 

 breds " are fine fencers, but Arabs, delightful as they 

 are for hacking, rarely distinguish themselves across 

 country. 



The Calcutta natives were always on the look-out 

 for squalls, like the Irish " wreckers" of olden days. 

 It was no uncommon sight to see a black man, with 

 nothing on but a kummerbund, running away to his 

 lair, with a stirrup leather, hat, or even a pair of spurs 

 belonging to some dethroned sportsman. The horse 

 ridden by Mrs. Saunders in the paperchase I have 

 alluded to, was a powerful " Waler " which, according 

 to his importer, Mr. Macklin, had won nearly all the 

 jumping prizes in Australia ! He had evidently been 

 spoiled at the competition business, like many other 



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