CHAPTEK XIV 



THE GYMKHANA AT LUXOR 



On our arrival at Luxor I found that my name had 

 been published as starter and judge at the Gym- 

 khana. It proved that the chaplain had anticipated 

 my coming, and he asked if I would mind acting. 

 I did not see my way, however, to both start and 

 judge. 



As I did not know a word of Arabic, I said, 

 " What is the word ' go ' in Arabic ? ' " Yallah," 

 he replied. 



I got through my duties I think fairly satis- 

 factorily, though I felt during the finish of the 



Buffalo buffalo race I would rather have been 

 'racing'a? ^^ ^ Safer spot. This particular race 

 Luxor ^as confined to a tribe called the Bisha- 

 reens, who wore long plaited hair, castor-oiled, 

 hanging down their backs. They were men of 

 fine physique, and had most marvellous white 

 teeth. Some part of their family had the bulfaloes 

 on halters at the other end of the track, mixed up 

 anyhow. When I said " Yallah,'' these fellows 



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