122 SAM DARLING'S REMINISCENCES 



the finishing post three stakes were driven into 

 the ground. The buft'aloes are started absolutely 

 loose, and driven pell-mell the first half of the 

 course by the relatives of the various proprietors, 

 and it is the office of these latter each to meet, 

 seize, and mount his own beast, and finish the 

 race by tying it up at one of the posts. It was 

 a strange sight indeed when this uncouth stam- 

 pede came along in a cloud of dust — it reminded 

 me of Caton Woodville's representation of the 

 midnight charge of the Guards at Kassassin — and 

 to sit close on the ropes, even when they were a 

 furlong away, was not altogether good for the 

 nerves. In a moment, however, came the meeting 

 between the beasts and their masters, some of 

 whom mounted in circus-like fashion and never 

 threw their buffaloes out of stride, while others 

 made bad shots at getting up and were hopelessly 

 left. Until close home it was anybody's race, but 

 one artful sportsman sprang off fifteen yards short 

 of the post and was just ready to tie up on reaching 

 it, while others, who did not get down till they were 

 right there were naturally at a disadvantage. It is 

 apparently all right, according to bufialo racing 

 rules, to dismount short of the post in this way, 

 and so there was no doubt about the winner, nor, 

 indeed, about the second ; but how the judges 

 decided what was third I know not, for three 



