56 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

 YEAR 1867. 



About a month before the meeting of 1867 took place, 

 the Secretary found that the mango tope in which the tents 

 are pitched, and the course, were under 18 inches of water, 

 owing to the Gunduck inundations. Without seeking the 

 assistance of the district authorities, he had the bunds cut, and 

 though the rains lasted unusually long, the ground dried 

 by the commencement of the cold weather, and though the 

 camping ground was, of course, damper than usual, it was 

 quite dry enough for security from malaria. The course was. 

 at the commencement of the meeting, decidedly heavy be- 

 tween the half and quarter mile posts, but after the first two 

 days it was good going enough. 



It was satisfactory to find that the untoward season was not 

 likely to affect the meeting, as Monday, the 4th of November, 

 saw the usual succession of visitors, carts, and coolies, trooping 

 in, although some sportsmen could not get away from their 

 occupations till the last moment, and this circumstance dimi- 

 nished the attendance at the first night's lotteries. 



There were a good many stables, large and small, to 

 contend for the handsome cups, and other stakes, but acci- 

 dents and misfortunes had affected the prospects of some 

 materially. Mr. Collins had lost Morning Star, and Vander- 

 decken had engagements at Hyderabad. The death of Dr. 

 Rimmer, would have disqualified all his nominations, under 

 English racing law, but under a Calcutta Turf Club rule, Mr. 

 Freeman was allowed to take up the nominations, and would 

 have run the horses, but they unfortunately all got rheumatism, 

 owing to Buxie Brown's treatment Mr. Blacker, the Calcutta 

 merchant, had a good stable, but not only had he lost Ham- 

 mond, his trainer, who brought out Debenture in such good 

 form the previous year, but all his horses were in very back- 

 ward condition, chiefly because the shape of the Bangalore 



