THE HUMOURS OF THE RACECOURSE 115 



and a pair of short baggy trousers. One venerable- 

 looking old fellow, however, sported a very fine 

 plum-coloured silk waistcoat. At the word " Go ! " 

 off they went in a wild spluttering gallop, every one 

 of them going his hardest, without an idea of hold- 

 ing, or nursing, or waiting, in a mad tangle of men 

 and horses. But before they had got half-way 

 round they were in Indian file, old Plum-colour lead- 

 ing by a good length, which he afterwards increased 

 to two, coming in an easy winner. He seemed to be 

 a kind of Arab Fordham or Wells, for he rode in 

 about a dozen races that day. He certainly won six 

 or seven. The moment the race was over, the next 

 starters were put up, and so on with breathless 

 rapidity, until at last we came to a race which I was 

 particularly anxious to see — a race for all-comers, 

 and I was curious to see how the Arab would come 

 out against the European. As far as the issue went 

 it was a very hollow affair. Three French horses 

 started and two Arabs. But though the Arabs made 

 all the running at first, they were soon collared and 

 passed, and came in, one of them " nowhere," the 

 other several lengths behind the last of the French- 

 men. In fact, the popular notion about the speed 

 of the Arab courser is, I think, erroneous. Great 

 speed is not his strong point ; the chances are that 

 on any ordinary racecourse the best Arab in the 

 world would be beaten by a second-rate English race- 

 horse. These Arabs were not, of course, firsts-rate 



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