such reliance was placed in the stoutness of Challenger, that the immense difference in the weight was overlooked. Owners were to ride, which was giving at least 2st. 6lb. to the Cavalier.

on a

The expectations of all those who know how weight tells or horse were justified by the issue of this race, and Challenger was beat by many lengths. It was an ill-made match, and the odds

given quite absurd, rendering all chance of winning out of the question.

If any errors have crept into this account, I hope I shall be excused by the parties concerned, so many months having elapsed since these steeple-chases took place.

SNAFFLE.
Not 100 miles from Belgaum.

MR. EDITOR,

I am sorry to inform you that the Moss Trooper's C. A. H. Chester died on the morning of the 28th inst., after 24 hours' sickness caused by violent inflammation.

Chester was a beautiful chestnut Arab about 15h. high, a very strong and powerful horse, and perhaps one of the best Welter horses in the country. He first started at Meerut in Jan., 1838, for a purse given by the theatrical amateurs for all horses to be handicapped, heats R. C. (11⁄2 mile and 61 yards), which he won at two heats easy, carrying 8st. 2lbs., in 3m. 13s. and 3m. 10s., beating Mr. Houston's G. A. The Baron, 10st. 7lbs., Mr. Vincent's G. G. Bombardier, 8st., Mr. George's B. Y. Sister to Reveller, 8st. 2lbs., and distancing Mr. Knox's C. H. Trotter, 7st. 9lbs., the following horses being drawn :B. A. Merry Andrew, 8st., G. A. Choice, 8st. 7lbs., G. A. Popinjay, 8st. 7lbs. and G. A. Spangle, 8st. He was then very fat, and short of work. His next appearance was at Kurnaul, the following month, February, where he was entered for the General's Purse, but in consequence of some mistake in his nomination he was not allowed to start. He next appeared on the fourth day of the

meeting, carrying 8st. 12lbs., with Tyrant, Marmion, Sinner, and Savadah, to contend for a Purse of 60 G. M. for all horses, weight for age, heats two miles, and was beaten by Tyrant, 8st. 7lbs., in 4m. 10s. and 4m. 13s., but ran second both heats. He was then amiss, and had not had his gallops for ten or twelve days previous to the race, in consequence of a large tumour on the hip which caused lameness. On the 5th day he was beaten by Mr. Mootie's G. A. Ecarté in a match 11st. each, R. C. (1 mile and 21 yards), in 3m. 12s. He was infamously ridden, and was then suffering from the swelling on the hip. The day after the meeting, carrying 8st. 10lbs., he beat the Confederate's G. A. Marmion, 8st. 7lbs., in a match R. C. and a distance, winning easy in 3m. 27s. On the 10th January, 1832, at the Allyghur meeting, he won the Welter, for all horses 11st. 7lbs. cach, Arabs allowed 7lbs., R. C. (89 yards less than 1 mile), beating easy Mr. George's G. A. Cossack, Mr. Binfield's G. A. Exile, Mr. Hughes' G. A. The Baron, Mr. Edwards' G. A. Morpheus, and Mr. Grey's G. A. Gustavus, in 3m. 27s. On the 12th he won the Arab purse, 8st. 10lbs. each, heats 24 miles, beating

in a canter Mr. Bustard, and Mr. Quack-time, 5m.

Grey's G. A. George's G. A. 28s., and 5m.

26s. At Meerut, on the 26th of the same month, he was beaten by Mr. Mack's G. A. Clem, Mr. George's G. A. Lancer, and Mr. Hodney's G. H. Bucklegs, for the Station Cup, three miles, 8st. 7lbs. each. He was most injudiciously ridden in this race, making the play for 2 miles, when he was passed by the other horses successively. On the 28th, at 8st. 5lbs., he won the Beaten Purse, heats R. C., beating Mr. Hodney's G. A. Bucklegs, 8st. 7lbs. ; both heats won easy, the second in 3m. 81s. At Kurnaul, 1832, on the second day of the meeting, February 16th, he was beaten by Mr. Hewitt's C. A., Briant Borou for the General's Purse, for all horses 11st. 7lbs. each, Arabs allowed 7lbs., heats R. C. and a distance (R. C. is 1 mile and 134 yards), in 3m. 40s. and 3m. 36s., but beat in the same race Mr. George's G. A. Cossack, and Mr. Hughes' G. A. The Baron. On the third day, February 18th, carrying 8st. 12lbs., he won the 50 C. M. Purse for all horses, weight for age, Arabs allowed 5lbs., heats two miles, beating Mr. Hughes' C. M. Shazadee, 9st., and Mr. Mack's G. A. Clem, 8st. 12lbs., both heats won easy in 4m. 3s. and 4m. 10s. In this race he was well held in the rear, till the last quarter of a mile from home, when he was let out and passed them like a shot. The extraordinary manner in which he passed the other horses without the slightest struggle was the surprise of every one. The odds on this race were 3 to 1 on Clem, and 7 to 1 against Chester. On the fourth day, February 25th, carrying 8st. 12lbs., he beat Mr. George's G. A. Clem, 8st. 7lbs., in a match for 200 G. M. two miles a waiting race on the

part of Chester to the distance, when he was let out and won easy in 4m. 10s., the last mile in 1m. 59s. On the fifth day, February 27th, he beat Mr. George's G. A. Lancer in a match for 50 G. M., 8st. 7lbs. each, two miles. This was a canter for him in 4m. 15s. At Allyghur, in December, 1832, he was entered for the Subscription Cup, but was not able to start in consequence of an accident he met with in his stable, which prevented his taking his usual gallops for some days previous to the race; however, on the third day of the meeting, he managed to win the Welter for all horses 11st. 7lbs. each, Arabs allowed 7lbs., R. C. and a distance, beating Mr. Hughes' G. A. The Baron, with difficulty, by a length in 3m. 21s. At Meerut, the following month, on the third day of the meeting, January 17th, 1833, he won a purse for all horses 8st. 7lbs. each, Arabs allowed 5lbs., heats 11 mile, beating easy Mr. George's G. A. Quack; the second heat in 2m. 30s. On the 4th day of the same meeting, January 19th, he won a sweepstakes for all horses 11st. 7lbs. each, Arabs allowed 7lbs., R. C., beating easy Mr. George's G. A. Lancer, in 3m. 16s. On the fifth day, January 22nd, he was beaten for the Ladies' Purse, R. C. and a distance, carrying 9st. 5lbs., by Mr. Hughes, B. F. The Begum, 9st. 1lbs., with difficulty by a length, in 3m. 191 s.; but beat in the same race Col. Stevenson's B. A. Pelham, 7st. 10lbs., Mr. Evelin's G. A. The General, 8st. 12lbs., Mr. George's G. A. The Babe, 6st. 3lbs., and Mr. George's B. M. Mousetrap, 8st. 1lbs., Mr. Evelin's C. F. Blue Bell being drawn.*

*This was supposed to have been the fastest race ever run over the Meerut Course.

He then went to Agra, where, on the 19th February, he won the Ladies' Purse for all horses, 9st. 5lbs. each, heats 21 miles, beating easy Mr. George's G. A. Lancer, Mr. Francis' C. A. Gillbas, and Mr. East's G. A. Candidate, in 5m.

28s. and 5m. 28s. Thus ends the whole of his performances, having started 17 times and having won 12 of his races.

Yours,

FAIR PLAY. Neemuch, March 31st, 1833.

SIR,

I send you a few scraps on the diversions with which this letter is headed; and should you think them worthy of a corner in your valuable paper, they are much at your service.

The Tiger. This formidable creature is seldom molested by his mortal friend, if he does not sally forth from his secluded retreats for perpetrating mischief; for I seldom knew a Boondela resort to the destruction of the tiger simply for sport; who, indeed, not unfrequently suffer this animal to range the precincts of a village, with as much unconcern as if his jaws had actually been closed against doing harm: until, however, he violates the sanctity of the privilege, and spills the blood of some sacred cow or calf; it is

then, and then alone, that the emasculated Boondela will even venture his life to encounter the prowess of his fierce antagonist. I have many instances upon record, when some of the Takoors have evinced as much apathy for their own existence as courage in facing the tiger on foot. My plan is merely to offer you a few brief anecdotes, and reserve the more ponderous accounts for some future vacant hour. In February last, when I was encamped at Mahawa, I heard of a brace of tigers committing ravages on cattle in a village about four or five miles to the south of us, and next morning saw a splendid tigress brought in, to a Boondela chief, who was also encamped at the same place. I made strict inquiries as to the means by which she bit the dust, and was informed that, a valuable bullock having been killed by this animal, the owner, a Takoor, and his brother bivouacked for two nights together, with their fatal matchlocks, to surprise the evil-doer. The carcase of their fallen deity lay on the spot, to entice the ravenous beast. The tigress at length appeared in the dead of the night, and was received by a shot from the gun of one of the two men, who attacked her on foot, but inflicting only a slight grazing wound on one of her shoulders, and

being merely four or five paces from her, she was within an ace of vaulting on his shoulders, if his brother, who had snugly seated himself on a dhauk tree, had not sealed her career by lodging a brace of bullets in her forehead. In the bowels of this beast were found several pieces of undigested hog's flesh (wild hogs, I suppose), and the shank bones of a bullock. The tiger, I hear, is yet lurking in the vicinity where his fellow had been killed.

The table land on the range of hills above the Bisram Ghaut, distinguished by the natives by the name of Bundhere, is said to abound with tigers, who, particularly at this season of the year, make their descent on the lowlands, and become, not unfrequently, disagreeable visitants to the village under the hills. There are now many clashing accounts afloat among the Boondlekhundee politicians, of tigers infesting several passes on the above hills; and three days ago I was told that two men had fallen victims to the capacious maw of one of them, while cutting grass for horses on the skirts of the neighbouring hills.

It appears that the company's dâk route has shifted itself from the old tract on the Putthar of Kotro, to the lofty regions of the Bundhere table land; and natives inform me that the jungles are being cleared away, to make a thoroughfare for dak runners and dâk travellers. I am not competent to decide on the merits or demerits of this innovation, in a department which was once instituted for the public good, and for the convenience of such as prefer the luxury of being transported from one region to another in a palankeen; but the Boondlekhundees strenuously maintain that we have an inexorable aver

sion to the increase of their race, and since the pestilential gales do not, in these gloomy times, waft the cholera (Muree) and other fell diseases among them, to diminish their number, we are bent to take the prerogative of the deities, and make martyrs of such as choose to transmigrate their souls to that happy stage. Of these lucky mortals will be those who shall serve as post-boys; may the gods bless the names of the fallen heroes, who once hurled their boaring lance on the plains of Kotra! and may like them be blessed the souls of the tiger-devoured hurkarus!

Wild Boar.-After begging your pardon for digressing, I must recur to the subject of this letter. Next in importance to the tiger, I think the wild boar deserves our notice, as possessing courage, strength, and ferocity only inferior to it, only surpassing in these points all other inhabitants of the woods of Boondlekhund. Two instances have been brought to my knowledge, on the authority of a gentleman whose accounts I could rely upon; and the narrations are no less amusing than extraordinary. Some three or four years ago, it was suspected by the people at Purna that two tigers were in the habit of prowling in the sequestered vale of a garden near the city. From mere nocturnal rendezvous, they at length made it a haunt to shelter themselves during the day also. The garden not being a common resort to the public (being the Rajah's property), the ferocious intruders were not molested for some time; the only persons residing in it were an old woman and two coolies, who took care not to aggravate their voracious visitors. One night their rest was however disturbed by such strange howls and grunts, that they were

induced to have a peep at the spot whence these singular noises proceeded; they saw to their astonishment, a large tusky boar encountering two tigers. The fight continued for some time, and the former at last escaped, partly because of his own courage, and partly by some accidental alarm caused by the spectators, which frightened away the tigers. A similar instance (with the exception that there was simply one tiger in the conflict) is said to have occurred in the neighbourhood of Lohargong; and I was assured by a respectable inhabitant of this place that two years ago the dead carcase of a monstrous tiger, and a large boar, were brought in to him by some villagers, as having killed each other. It appeared that the former had pounced upon the back of the latter and seized it by the neck, and in this position received a fatal wound himself in his abdomen. At this season of the year the wild hog's flesh is said to be extremely delicious (owing no doubt to the abundance of food which the wheat, gram, and barley fields, and the still more nutritious mowha flowers, offer to these, as well as all other animals at present), and is eagerly sought after by the Boondela sportsman.

Urged on by hunger keen, they wound, they kill."

It is not to be understood, however, that the hog hunt is confined to this period alone; for the flesh of this animal is esteemed a dainty dish at all times by the Rajpoot tribe in Boondelkhund, and every man who can afford to carry a matchlock devotes all his leisure to the pursuit above named. Deer and fish shooting is also very common; but in no diversion the Boondela will willingly hazard his limb or life, and the mode pursued to kill any animal is frequently by

laying in ambush, either on a tree, or under the close cover of some bush, and the game is fired at when they can almost salt its tail. The more affluent portion of the sportsmen keep dogs generally, which seize the hog, and then it is either cut down with a sabre, run through with a lance, or shot with

a

I gun. am one of those crazy beings who risk their necks in the pursuit of this animal on horseback, and have been invited by two or three native chiefs to partake of the pleasures of this sport with them. They always left me the option either to stand still and have a pop at the hog, or gallop after it over broken and undermined ground at the peril of my unfortunate limbs; while they sat luxuriously blowing clouds with their hookas, with guards of ragamuffins around them.

On one occasion snares were

laid on one side of the sugar khait, which was the scene of war against the tusky tribe, and the other three sides of the field were environed by armed heroes, with divers weapons, muskets, match. locks, spears, &c., &c.; they were in fact equipped more for a field of battle than for the accomplishment of this boyish feat. The people had in every instance misinformed us; for, if there had been any game startled out of the fields, I verily believe that there were more chances of some of the two-legged animals biting the dust, than either a hog or a deer, as the disorder and confusion among my Boondelkhundee brother sportsmen surpassed anything of the kind that ever came under my notice.

Of angling, these people seem to be of Sam Johnson's opinion (who describes this amusement as consisting of a line and rod with a hook at one end, and a fool at the other!) and spurn deceiving the