278 HUNTINGCROP HALL 



what curt and strangely punctuated. The Sultan's 

 behaviour, however, had become meritorious to a 

 high degree ; and I was just beginning to think that 

 hunting was not so many degrees worse than the 

 treadmill, when we approached the scene of action. 



Before us, as we rounded a turning in the road, 

 a group of some thirty horsemen — to which fresh 

 accessions were constantly being made — chatted 

 together and watched a hilly descent to the right 

 down which the pack of hounds, escorted by several 

 officials, was approaching. The Major and his 

 party were cordially greeted, and no doubt like 

 civilities would have been extended to me had I 

 been in a position to receive them ; but, unfortu- 

 nately, I was not ; for, on seeing the hounds, the 

 '' playfulness " of The Sultan vigorously manifested 

 itself, and he commenced a series of gymnastic exer- 

 cises to which his previous performances had been 

 a mere farce. I lost my head, but mysteriously 

 kept what was more important — my seat, until the 

 tempest of his playfulness had in some measure 

 abated ; and then he stood still, shaking with ex- 

 citement. I sat still, shaking — from other causes. 



" Keep your horse's head to the hounds, will 

 you, sir ? " was the salutation which the master 

 bestowed on me, cantering up as the pack defiled 

 through a gate ; and indeed The Sultan seemed 



