32 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



of plough before he settled down into his stride. He 

 was then — they had gone about a mile and a half — 

 fully two hundred yards ahead of Countess, who was 

 leading the remainder of the field, seven or eight in 

 number. All that time " Steenie " had not moved on 

 his mare, but let her gallop and take her fences at her 

 own sweet will ; and right well did she accomplish her 

 task, for a more perfect jumper has never looked through 

 a bridle, on an Indian " flagged course," than the bay 

 Countess. The mare rapidly drew up on Tartar, who 

 was now in difficulties, and won by fifty lengths. How 

 the remainder of the spread-eagled field fared I really 

 do not remember. I only recollect that Thunderbum 

 carefully deposited his rider, Captain Papillon, before 

 they had gone half a mile. Captain " David," who was 

 then the ruling spirit of the Gordon Highlanders, did 

 not, I should think, concern himself much on account 

 of being involuntarily made a field officer, for he was 

 the chief winner over Tartar, who was after that named 

 Objection. 



A very inexperienced person might think that the 

 lesson Objection got against the sunbaked mud walls 

 and strong post and rails might have cured him of 

 running away. Nothing of the sort : in fact, he pulled 



