REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 22Q 



Hudson, Earle, Colonel Ilderton and Captain Edwards. Jimmy 

 McLeod, for the first time for many years, was an absentee, 

 having gone to Bonnie Scotland, leaving Donald Reed to 

 run Lall Serryah for him. Camps were fewer than usual, owing 

 to the depreciated rupee and a poor indigo season. The 

 Lockharts' usual big gathering was non est, as they joined 

 Mr. Earle's Camp ; but Arthur Forbes, now Commissioner of 

 Patna, came to the rescue, and so did Mr. Earle, who was 

 acting during Mr. Bourdillon's absence as Collector of Chupra, 

 and both had huge camps. A big contingent of the Queen's 

 Regiment turned up from Dmapore. Messrs. Graham and Hay 

 Webb had camps, and Rowland Hudson occupied Jimmy's 

 old site in the corner. Jimmy was not only missed by the 

 Europeans, but many were the expressions of regret among 

 the local horse dealers, for he was always a big buyer and ever 

 ready to arbitrate between buyer and seller. No Sonepore dealer 

 ever disputed Jimmy's dictum as to price. Among the visi- 

 tors were Captain Webb, (this to be his last Sonepore), Cap- 

 tain Eden Vansittart, Frank Shakespear, Captain Gunn, 

 Mr. Fergusson from Behrampore, who had brought up old 

 Yule Tide to carry his colors, and old Mr. Pell, the Calcutta 

 boarding housekeeper, who had Velocity and Gerrard to ride 

 him. Mr. Earle had put a board outside his camp, thoughtlessly 

 dubbing it "Earleswood," of course he came in for considerable 

 chaff, and the other campers called it the "Poggle Khana." Mr. 

 Savi had come from Dacca with a batch of Government 

 elephants for sale and managed to dispose of most of them. 

 Harry Abbott brought up Exbank, whom he had trained sole- 

 ly by swimming, and Jimmy Robinson had come to steer the 

 old bay. Miladi had also been sent up by Mr. Gregory, the rest 

 were all local horses. In spite of a small camp, the lotteries were 

 well patronised throughout. The first day's racing proved a series 

 of upsets. For the Doomraon Cup Kingsland was made a hot 

 favorite, selling for Rs. 400 in a five hundred lottery, but 



