132 



Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



sionals riding." " That's a jockey, anyhow, on the 

 winner," replied the Chumparun man, pointing to- 

 Mr. Thacker, whom he had not seen before. 



Poor Bill Thacker was a "hard " man, who cared little- 

 for falls, though much for horses. One dark night,. 

 when he was living at Simla, while riding on his pony 

 along the edge of a treacherous precipice, in order to- 

 make a short cut to a friend's house where he was going 

 to dine, the animal lost his footing and fell down thirty 

 or forty feet with his rider. Some friends who heard 

 the crash hurried to the spot, and pulled Thacker out 

 from under the pony and debris. " Are you hurt ? " they 

 asked, as they set him on his legs. " Got a rib or two- 

 broken, and I can't lift my right arm. But never mind 

 me, run and get a light," he gasped, " for I want to see 

 if the gee has chipped his knees." Poor fellow, his 

 cheery voice is now stilled for ever. 



