290 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



ing our mare who was a bit "off" on account of her 

 journey. As I did not back her, this reverse did not 

 affect me much, especially as she came out on the second 

 day and won the principal event of the meeting, and also 

 the handicap. To make things " smooth," I gave her 

 winning mounts to a young planter, Mr. Dickson, who 

 rode her in very good style indeed ; and I presented 

 a piece of jewellery for a quarter of a mile race open 

 to horses nominated by ladies. Of course I allowed 

 Czarina to run, but as she was a slow starter I 

 backed old Nimrod — who, having turned a very bad 

 roarer, had come down to be a hack — as I knew that his 

 shortness of breath could not stop him in two furlongs. 

 He fully justified my confidence, and so pleased was 

 everybody with the sport shown, that no one would bid 

 for the mare when she was put up to auction ; for it 

 was a condition of the meeting that all winners should 

 be sold to the highest bidder over Rs. 1200. North Star 

 also paid his way by winning the two pony races. 



After the meeting was over, I stayed with Mr. 

 Gordon, who is the chief silk planter in the district, 

 for a few days at his beautiful place at Surdah, and 

 then sailed down the river towards Calcutta on my 

 way to England, after saying "good-bye" to my many 



