12 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



colored dressing gown, a costume he seemingly never got out 

 of, save when in bed. 



CHAPTER IV. 



YEAR 1848. 



During 1848 Mr. Hewett still held office, and elaborate 

 indeed was the programme published for that year, but the 

 meeting was still marred by the heavy disproportion of en- 

 tries and stakes, 25 gold mohurs being the entrance money 

 for the Rs. 500 Durbungah Cup. The rules laid down in those 

 days, must have been a puzzle to owners, no less than thirty- 

 seven appearing at the end of the programme ; yet entries 

 were good, in spite of the heavy taxation, and the fact that times 

 were more than usually bad, for this meeting followed on 

 the disastrous failure of the Union Bank, which had been 

 started by Mr. Larpent and Baboo Dwarkanath Tagore, and 

 went smash, owing over a crore of rupees. Poor Dwarka- 

 nath committed suicide. The closing of the Bank doors 

 brought grief to hundreds of shareholders, and then to add 

 to the troubles, the proud house of Cockerell and Company 

 suspended payment. Still Sonepore was as gay as ever, 

 and the pretty girls of Behar footed it none the less merrily 

 than when the fickle goddess had smiled more sweetly upon her 

 votaries. Honeysuckle, the game grey Arab, of Mr. Fitz- 

 patrick, who was a sporting Calcutta dentist, and which ran so 

 well the previous year, and at Calcutta had put down the mighty 

 Elipoo, had met a watery grave when crossing the Ganges, in 

 the illfated Benares ; Baker his trainer and rider going down 

 too. But Mr. Fitzpatrick had a decent maiden Arab called 

 Clear-the-way, and a couple of good maiden Australians, one, 

 Woodbine, a fine looking mare ; Ould Ireland, and the Cape 

 horse Sir Harry, were also among his string, which was now 

 under the charge of Evans. On the Chupra course, the local 

 sportsmen Messrs. DeVaux, Walker, and Grey, were working 



