66 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE, 



lottery room for the first time in his life, took a few tickets, 

 as is often the case, was uncommonly lucky, drawing Melbourne 

 and getting a big price for him. It was at this meeting that 

 young Sir Claude Champion De Crespigny sent his horse and 

 trap, slap at the race course rails, just for a lark, the nag 

 jumped and the trap smashed them, fortunately with no 

 damage to the madcap driver or his fellow passengers. Sir 

 Claude had no business to be at the meeting, as he had come 

 away from his Regiment at Lucknow without leave, having 

 merely left a letter on his chiefs table asking if he might 

 absent himself. On arrival he found a wire ordering his 

 immediate return, but affecting to misunderstand it he sent 

 a deferred answer " Thanks for leave granted." He then got 

 a peremptory one, meanwhile he had all the fun of the fair. 

 When he got back the Brigade Major strongly advised him 

 not to go on the race course as the General would certainly 

 put him under arrest, five minutes afterwards he met the 

 General, who told him the same story about the Brigade Major, 

 but he was too great a favorite not to be forgiven and an 

 apology got him off. Debonair Charley, Marten, and Colonels 

 Robarts, and Monty Turnbull, were among the visitors. The 

 Rifle Brigade, then at Dinapore, were in full force, that 

 good rider Captain, now Colonel St. Paul, one of them. The 

 lotteries buzzed briskly even on the first night, and the number 

 of grand horses using the course on off mornings, was a sight 

 to warm sportsmen's hearts. Mr. Vincent's old mare Miss Tre- 

 lawney, who had run successfully the previous year as Adven- 

 turess, and was now the property of John Wheal the trainer, 

 looked a picture, so did Melbourne, and the handsome Fa- 

 vorite, but Longden seemed all off. It was obvious that the 

 quality of the English and Australians imported had improved 

 greatly since last year, and that the once 'invincible Vander- 

 decken and Rocket would no longer hold their own. Miss 

 Trelawney won the Leger, though Octavia and Longden had 



