REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 259 



of Nature's true gentlemen there was none of the insufferable 

 conceit about him which is so unfortunately conspicuous 

 amongst occasional specimens of the present day Civilian. 

 At Mozufferpore, Sonepore, and Motihari he was often seen 

 in racing colours, and many a tight finish has he fought out 

 aganist Ulick Browne, Fred. H. B. Simpson Peacock, and 

 other good G.R's of those days. As a pig-sticker he was all 

 there, though his extreme reticence in talking of his own 

 exploits with gun and spear makes it less possible to obtain 

 reliable data of them, than would be the case with a less 

 modest sportsman. How few are now left who used in the 

 fifties and the early sixties to foregather under the shade of 

 Sonepore's favourite mangoe topes. Gone are dear old 

 Bicrom, Albert Mangles, Theo. Metcalfe, C. T. Buckland, 

 William Tayler, " Monty " Turnbull and many others, and now 

 poor Fraser McDonell ; while there are still living in England 

 Ulick Browne, Dick Richardson, Teddy Drummond, Judex 

 Simmy, F. A. Vincent, R. P. Jenkins, Charley Palmer, and 

 Wallace, who could tell us how the stud and country-breds 

 then held their own on the Indian Turf, till Mr. Hallen ruined 

 the breed, and Australians came and wiped them out. Of 

 planters of those days we have now only one left, that fine old 

 veteran Mr. Minden James Wilson of Mozufferpore who can 

 recall the day when Fraser McDonell first took his seat on the 

 Magisterial bench. When the mutiny broke out Fraser 

 McDonell volunteered to join the ill-starred party which 

 started from Dinapore to relieve Arrah, and there he nobly 

 won that coveted distinction which, with the exception of 

 Ross Mangles, he alone of his service has, so far, earned. 

 Thus writes Kaye of the deed of daring which entitled him to 

 wear the cross ( for valour.' 



" ' It was in no small measure owing to his representations 

 and to his offer to act as a guide to the relieving force, for he 

 knew the country well, that General Lloyd consented to send 



