222 POLO IN INDIA. [Chap. IX. 



and there is no game or sport which calls into play so 

 many different good qualities, such as coolness, 

 decision, command of temper, pluck, horsemanship, 

 strength, condition, tactics, drill and organisation. 

 The Captain of a regimental polo team should be 

 endowed with all these qualities in no small degree, 

 and the remainder of the team should back him up 

 well, if they are to take a forward position in the 

 annual tournaments. 



There are many more fairly good players in India 

 than in England, and faster games can generally be 

 obtained there than on the majority of country grounds 

 in this country. I think the reason for this is that the 

 game is easier to play in India than here ; because the 

 grounds are hard, true and level, and the ponies are 

 smaller and easier to ride than English ponies. In 

 England the grounds when hard are often rough and 

 bumpy, owing to their having been cut up in wet 

 weather. After rain they are frequently so heavy, 

 that it requires much strength and skill to hit the ball 

 well. Therefore, although our English ponies have 

 more speed than the Indian ones, the ball travels faster 

 and easier in India, and players are continually 

 trying to overtake the ball at full pace there, in- 

 stead of steadying for it as in England. Conse- 

 quently there are fewer pauses and scrimmages, the 

 ball is not so often missed, and the game as a rule 

 is faster and better. I here refer to second-class 

 polo, which, after all, is what one usually meets with 

 in both countries. With respect to first-class polo, 

 I can state that I have had equally good games in 

 both countries, and there are on an average just 

 as good players in India as at home. Indeed, many 



