have another correspondent who was present on the occasion, I will try my endeavour to hit them off. Regular races at Meerut were established, I think, so far back as 1808, since which time there has invariably been an annual meeting, except when the service called forth its numerous military inhabitants, upon more arduous duties; the present year was expected to be very good, and the admirers and supporters of the Turf were not disappointed. Beauty, Rank, Fashion, poured in from all the surrounding stations. I place beauty first, for it is that to which all bow, and which all admire, and I can assure both you and your readers that Meerut can boast of as much attraction in this way as any station in India: where so many reign as Belles, it could be as difficult, as it would be invidious, to name any one in particular. The little boy Cupid was not idle during this season of mirth and joy, his bow was strung, and his unerring darts flew successfully. One marriage has already been the consequence. Young, fair, and lovely, long may she reside amongst us, be as happy, and render as happy the object of her choice, as their dearest friends can wish. The new Benedict, our judge, is a good fellow in every sense of the word, and is universally liked and esteemed.

Where harmony and good fellowship reign as they do at Meerut, so much so as to become proverbial, it is not to be supposed that the business of the race-course engrossed all our thoughts. No. The amusement of the Fair became the object of all; Plays and Balls were the order of the day, and trod so fast on the heels of each other, that a respite from the toil of pleasure was almost hailed with satisfaction.

Amongst the out-and-out things in the way of Balls, I will notice four. The first was a fancy Masked Ball and Supper, given by our old friends, the Officers of the Horse Artillery. Their noble Mess Rooms are calculated for the display of masks, and their attention to the comforts of their guests always renders their fêtes a point of attraction. Upon the present occasion, their zeal to amuse was fully seconded by the desire of all parties to be amused. Good humour, the best character for any party, was here conspicuous, though under different disguises. Masks, groups, and characters were numerous, and well supported. An Irishman fresh from the Emerald Isle, in search of something beyond Potatoes and Butter-milk, was sustained with great humour; and some of his Irish songs evinced a taste and feeling which struck every one. A family group of a poor man, with a little wife and a large family, complaining of hard times and Half Batta, was well got up, and afforded much amusement. The good woman having, however, disposed of her children in various ways, appeared again transformed into a Porguese Ayah in want of service; the disguise was complete; shortly after she made her appearance in a third female character. The style with which this person always maintains the character assumed invariably calls forth admiration. On our stage, he is a host in himself. Harlequin was excellent. fair Columbine, a powerful energetic dancer, though the style smacked strongly of Almacks in the East.

Our

His

Amongst other capital characters, I must not omit to notice "The Monstrosities of the day," exhibited by a Lady and Gentleman dressed in the very extreme

of Fashion. Nothing could have been better. Fortunately the Lady stood six feet two in her stockings

-or the tremendous size of her bonnet would have played havoc with the Giraffe head-dresses of the Ladies. Dancing was kept up with great spirit to a late hour after supper.

That fine Regiment, the 16th Lancers, next took the lead. The night selected for their ball was after the race for the Gold Cup, which the officers always so liberally give to be run for by maiden Arabs. No arrangement that good taste could effect was omitted to render the evening every way delightful, the rooms were crowded, and dancing was maintained until early dawn.

At

one o'clock the party sat down to an excellent supper, and after the health of the Ladies was drunk, the splendid Gold Cup was presented by the Colonel of the Regiment in a glowing speech to the winner, our worthy Brigadier, who, with a heart full of the finest and most liberal feelings which endear him to young and old, could hardly find words to express the thoughts that floated in his head. His friends interpreted his sentiments, and his health, prosperity, with success on the Turf and in all other situations, was drunk with an enthusiasm which evinced the attachment to the man, and the high estimation of his character. The Cup is a beautiful specimen of workmanship, and of the exquisite taste displayed by the gentleman (an officer of the Regiment) who drew the design. It would be a splendid ornament to any nobleman's table.

The next grand Ball was given by the officers of H.M.'s 31st Regiment, and, I may truly say, vied with the others in magnificence and splendour. Indeed it would be difficult, where all were so good,

to do justice to the spirit with which these Regimental parties went off. I will pass over the dancing room which, as usual, was crowded with youth and beauty, adorned in a style of elegance and fashion not to be surpassed even in the City of Palaces, and introduce the reader to the supper, which was given to above a hundred and fifty guests, in a superb suite of Tents most brilliantly illuminated. A cross table, at which the noble Colonel and his Lady presided, was at the end of the Tent, and commanded a view of the whole party, a double row of tables having been placed down the sides of the Tents. The tables were covered with every delicacy of the season, including strawberries, and glittered with a beautiful service of plate; indeed the entire scene brought to mind what we have read of in Fairy tales. The thing was unique. An early move from the Ladies, however, tore us from the enchanting scene, though many a devotee to good cheer remained. The dancing was renewed, and the guests, delighted with the hospitalities of the night, did not separate until a late hour.

The last Ball I shall notice was the one given by Mr. Bacon, the winner of the station Gold Cup. The evening was unfortunately unpropitious, as the rain poured down in torrents; this, however, did not prevent a brilliant assemblage of the Fair Sex (with whom Mr. B. is a universal favourite) from gracing his party. The whole thing went off well and did credit to his management and the aid he evidently appeared to have obtained from some fair friend. How easy is it to trace the skill of lovely woman! I shall be glad to see the day when my friend is entered for the matrimonial stakes.

The course every morning was crowded to such excess, that the wonder was where they all came from; for Blackee who likes to see the amusements of the Sahib logue came in great numbers, and even made their bets on the result of the race. Our military commanders let loose the rein of discipline, and allowed their men to enjoy the pleasures of the season. The ap

pearance of so many gallant fellows in different military costumes gave a pleasing variety to the scene.

The course this year is a mile and a half and 61 yards; the soil is a light sand, and when we have no rain during the meeting, becomes very heavy after a little running. This year we were fortunate in having a few showers, which, with the daily use of the roller, brought the ground into a good state. The timing upon the Meerut course is seldom so quick as we hear of at other courses. Pyramus was beat two miles at Meerut with 8st. 71b., in 4m. 6s., and won the Calcutta cup the same distance, with 9st. 7lb. at three heats. The second and third ran in 4m. 1s. The cup this year, 8st. 7lb., three miles, won by Champion in 6m. 14s., is the quickest thing ever done on the Meerut course by any horse on record.

A very old sportsman, who was with us this meeting, Captain McK-e of the Madras Artillery, told me he thought our course the most severe of any he had ever seen. Independent of the nature of the soil, it has in one part a rise extending nearly 1100 yards-a quarter of a mile of which is a stiff hill, and which a horse must encounter twice, when his race is either two miles or three miles.

The whole of the racing went off with the utmost harmony, notwithstanding the occasional elongation of the human face divine.

VOL. I.

Bets ran high, and much blunt changed owners. The arrange

ments of the stewards were in every way judicious, the horses, generally of the first order, having been sought far and near. A losing stable last year was at the top of the tree this year, and the goodness of the cattle from it requires no other encomium than to say the spirited owner, Mr. Bacon, won three cups, The Cawnpore Station Cup, The Calcutta Cup, and the Mecrut Station Cup, with three different horses.

The best Maiden Arab came from a stable equally unfortunate last year, and with Remembrancer has by their splendid condition proved that the trainer has profited by experience. An old stable from which much was expected was sadly in arrear, partly to be attributed to bad luck, the owner being absent on duty during two of the most essential months of training, during which time his Jockey, frequently how came you so, allowed his horses to get so fat that I have heard their owner say he scarcely should have known some of them when he came home.

If the Secretary has sent you a prospectus of the races fixed for our next meeting, which will be held in December, you will see the strongest proof of the feeling of satisfaction manifested at the bygone meeting. The public plates are numerous, and the encouragement held forth by the Amateurs of the Turf has been of the most liberal nature. The amount of the Civilians Cup for Maiden Arabs already exceeds 180 gm., which, with a subscription of 25 gm. for each horse entered, will be worth a struggle. The old stables are already strong, as are those of some new hands, and the lovers of the turf may be sanguine in expecting a splen