Mr. H. E. Abbott. 163 



•over, Mr. Abbott gave me a seat in his trap to take me 

 Jiome. On the way back he said that he was sorry I 

 had been unlucky, and advised me to take a share in a 

 horse whose chance he had purchased. Knowing Mr. 

 Abbott by repute, I heartily thanked him, accepted the 

 ■offer, and next day found my balance to be on the 

 right side. I need hardly say that to do thus and live, 

 -Mr. Abbott has a large income from his factory. A 

 .■short time ago he started a capital newspaper in the 

 interests of indigo and sport, to which I have the honour 

 to contribute occasionally, and which has already attained 

 a large and well-merited circulation throughout India. 



The time to see the planters in all their glory is 

 "during one of their race meetings, the chief of which is 

 that of Sonepore, the other being Mozufferpore in 

 'Tirhoot, Mootihari in Chumparun, and Chupra, which 

 is generally presided over by that good sportsman, Mr. 

 Gwatkin Williams. At these fixtures each of the 

 leading planters forms a camp, to which he invites his 

 friends and any strangers who may happen to be near. 

 The usual programme is four days' racing on alternate 

 mornings, four balls on race nights, lotteries on non-ball 

 nights, hunting and paper-chasing on non-race morn- 

 ings, polo every evening, lawn tennis all day, jolly 



