33^ RACING IN CEYLON 



hands to wind up her training. Of course 

 I said no ; but, in my opinion, she got too 

 much fast work the last week, and came to 

 the post with her ears back — a thing I had 

 never seen before in her. The race that 

 year was reduced to a match, so the start 

 presented no difficulty, but as I rose in my 

 stirrups to the mare's first stride, *' heaven and 

 earth suddenly came apart," and the result of 

 this, my first experience of an Australian 

 buck-jump, landed me " sejant " in front of my 

 mount. As I had retained hold of the reins, 

 I had a leg up before the stars had ceased 

 whirling before my eyes, and saved my 

 distance ; but T. would not object, although 

 there was little doubt the second flag, if 

 indeed the first, was not down when I "dis- 

 mounted." The only injury was to my 

 amour propre, especially as I recollect there 



