244 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



-." Among the deaths in England of old Indians we notice, 

 with deep regret, that of General Montagu James Turnbull, 

 w r ho in the 'fifties' and 'sixties' was one of the leading 

 lights of the Calcutta race meetings. He was a Steward of 

 the Turf Club from 1861 till he retired on pension in 1874, 

 and acted for many years as head of the Army Clothing De- 

 partment. Colonel and Mrs. Turnbull lived at Alipore in that 

 snug little bungalow still known as ( The Hermitage,' and 

 which was christened after his bonny Arab, Hermit, winner of 

 many races on this course. The grand steeds of The Desert 

 had no stauncher friend and admirer than ' Monty ' Turnbull, 

 and though he never had the luck to win the then blue ribbon 

 of India's Turf, it was not for want of trying. Writing of him 

 in The Englishman after the big meeting of 1866, his old 

 crony and bosom friend, W. H. Abbott said : 



' Now once more Pipps forget the past and tell us who 



they be 

 Who stand among the horses there, collected round 



that tree ; 



I turned and looked and Monty stood amid his Arab pets 

 And with friend Pritchard showed their points to two 



admiring Vets. 



And happy as a king he'll be that sportsman good as gold, 

 Altho' it seems hard lines to him that Hermit should 



grow old ; 



If he can only hit upon some little Arab pet, 

 That will answer all his yearnings and win the Derby 



yet.' 



" Not one of the old lot that were Stewards of the 

 Calcutta meeting in 1861 are now in India; the majority 

 are dead, though Lord Ulick Browne still lives in honor- 

 able retirement in London ; but Oh, what Arab racing 

 used to be seen on the Calcutta course in those years! 

 A dozen would frequently go out, and from start to 

 finish the proverbial blanket would have covered the 



