276 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



During the hot weather I went up to the hill station 

 of Mussoorie, on two months' leave, with Vesper, Lady- 

 Aid, whom I had bought from Cozens, and Bismillah.. 

 As I knew that the last-mentioned was an extraordinar}-^ 

 good Gallowa}-, but that he required work and time tO' 

 develop his powers, I got up a series of gyinkhauaJf 

 pony races on the small course round the polo ground 

 in the Happy Valley, in order to provide funds for the 

 improvement of the track, which, by dint of blasting 

 \ away many tons of rock, I rendered fairly serviceable 

 in a short time. I lent Lady Aid to Mr. MacDougall,. 

 who was also up on leave. I remember on one occa- 

 sion, when he and I went to sta)- for a day with Mr.. 

 Thuillier at Dchra, that we rode down to the steeple- 

 chase course, over which, for a lark, Mr. MacDougall 

 determined to try over the jump Lady Aid, who was. 

 a nervous, weed}-, countr}--brcd mare, and the most 

 unlikely-looking animal to make a fencer one could 

 imagine. She safely negociated the post and rails and 

 banks at a slow pace, after a great deal of necessary 

 "rammincr" at them; but when she came within a 

 hundred yards of the brook which is in front of the 

 stand, and which is no mere " water-splash," but on the 

 contrarv, an honest 16-foot expanse that will bring- 



