REMINISCENCES OP SON^PORE. 2ij 



and was placed in the centre of the supper room. After 

 Thursday's supper the usual speechifying took place, Mr. 

 Stevens eulogising the Secretary to such an extent, that the 

 modest little man absolutely blushed, and when some enthu- 

 siasts had carried him thrice round the room and set him down 

 safely, he returned thanks in a truly becoming manner. 



For twenty years there had not been a more all round 

 successful meeting ; the racing had been exceptionally good, 

 and the prizes well divided, no unpleasantnesses to mar the 

 harmony, all the arrangements capital, and from commence- 

 ment to end the large number of people present combined to 

 make everything pass off pleasantly. Mr. Stevens was, perhaps, 

 a little too flattering to the Secretary in his speech after 

 Thursday night's supper, for as Harry Abbott explained, he 

 could have done nothing had he not been so liberally backed 

 up and assisted by his brother Stewards and the visitors who 

 flocked in from Chupra, Bankipore, Calcutta, Durbangah, 

 Dinapore, Mozufferpore and Motihari, while the goodness 

 of the racing should honestly be attributed to the generosity 

 of the maharajahs, civilians, merchants, trades, and other 

 donors of the handsome purses and cups, which naturally 

 enough attracted owners. Messrs. Framji catered excellently 

 and gave universal satisfaction. The subscriptions were libe- 

 ral in the extreme, and everyone left the camp happy and 

 satisfied. Horses were poor, in fact, year by year country- 

 breds have deteriorated, showing but little blood or bone, and 

 the heavy headed weeds one saw under every tree were them- 

 selves condemnatory of Mr. Hallen's system, though with 

 Colonels Queripel and Joey Dene, and common sense to 

 the rescue, our Indian studs may yet be regenerated. Bullocks 

 were dear, owing to Government agents purchasing all that 

 passed muster. Majors Beaver and Webb picked up some 

 C.B.'s for Native Cavalry purposes fairly cheap, and several 

 very fine ponies were bought by Jimmy and other purchasers. 



