130 SAM DARLING'S EEMINISCENCES 



Next day Ratneses the Great proceeded up the 

 Nile to Assouan, and the first man I met there was 

 Mr. Croker, who asked me what in the world 

 brought me there. I answered : 



** I might say the same to you." 



" I am amusing myself," he replied ; "I've just 

 got second in a donkey race." 



" I think your donkey must have been in 

 pretty good form," I said, " as I feel sure you 

 would have been top weight." 



Mr. Croker afterwards won the Derby with 

 Orby when I was third with Slieve Gallion. 



I had written thus far, and was feeling quite 

 complacent over the compliment which the Duchess 

 of Devonshire was pleased to pronounce on my 

 reputation as a donkey judge, when reference to 

 my scrap book has proved that my judgment in 

 this respect was not infallible. Again I quote 

 from Mr. Allison : 



" S.S. ' Rameses the Great,' 



" February 3, 1903. 



"Yesterday morning we were up betimes at 

 Assouan, for a start at eight o'clock to ride to the 

 quarries and thence to the big dam. The worthy 

 Mohammed had promised to reserve two of the 

 best donkeys for Mr. Darhng and myself, and 

 these were set apart ; but in a moment of negli- 



