ed to the book, and I ejaculated (much to the amusement of a few choice souls present) now we've a chance of fair play on the turf, the want of which (solely attributable to the paucity of rules and regulations in the hands of the Stewards) has, believe me, Mr. Editor, many a time caused me the most poignant anguish.

To bear me out in my assertion that fair play is a jewel not thoroughly understood in these parts, I have only to mention the following prevalent opinion, as common among our sporting coves at the Presidency and Poonah, as mangoes, and their nasty concomitants in the merry month of May, viz., that an inside horse, when leading, can in no instance be guilty of a jostle or cross. How this ridiculous idea, so contrary to common sense, has crept into the pericrania of the most knowing of our cognoscenti, is to me a mystery; but that it has done so every man, either on the Bombay or Poonah course, must be fully aware. No less than three cases of palpable crosses by inside horses came within obsermy vation last year, at Poonah, one of which was claimed, but was not adjudged, in consequence, I believe, of the erroneous notion above mentioned; and I understand, from a friend who was present at the Bombay meeting, this system was equally as common there.

**

* On the owner of the horse that was crossed making his complaint to the Stewards at the weighing stand, his

adversary's jockey gratuitously and (I should say) impertinently replied, "How the du-isse could I cross when I had the inside?"

SIR,

Now, trusting you will give publicity to these lines, and thereby call the attention of all sportsmen in any way connected with the turf to Rule 55, where it is expressly laid down, that "where one horse crosses the track of another next behind him, it shall be deemed a sufficient cause of complaint, even though he be a length or more before the horse whose track he crosses," &c., &c., &c. I shall conclude with cordial thanks for the benefit you have conferred on the sporting community by publishing the said rules and regulations, and remain, Your obedient servant,

AN AMATEUR.

N.B.-I am truly sorry to learn you are about to lose one of the tiptop sawyers of your turf; his removal, however, will be "nuts to the small fry or tag-rag and bob-tail, who have lately become so notorious for the sporting feeling they exercise in all matters connected with the turf. I heard a capital song a few nights ago sung by a sportsman of the first water, in which they were very prettily handled, and deservedly cut up for the absurd way they pester their sporting neighbours with the state of the finance deOne verse ran thus: partment. "Fourscore and ten of us poor old spoons, without a penny in our purse; something must be done for us poor old spoons." I send this specimen; should you fancy the song worthy your attention, give me a hint, and I will do my petit possible to get you a copy.

From a performance I see in your last Mag., under the head Run against Time" it strikes

6

TIME.

A.

me a similar one (only in my humble opinion more worthy a place in your sporting records), sent to you some few months since,

must have miscarried. Taking it for granted this is the case, I shall annex an account of the said feat, and at the same time request your leniency in the event of my conjecture proving wrong. In the latter end of the year 1825 Mr. B., a gentleman of some celebrity from his skill and science in the noble art of self-defence, under took to pick up 100 stones placed at a distance of one yard from each other, from the basket into which he was to drop them, within 50 minutes. After a few days'

SIR,

training, Mr. B. performed his task with the greatest ease, having several minutes to spare. This, you must admit, was not only not despicable, but, as a sporting friend of mine exclaimed on the occasion, "most tremendous," particularly when the climate is taken into consideration, and also that 45 minutes is reckoned firstrate time in England.

Your obedient servant,

A LOVER OF GYMNASTICS. Within 100 miles of Poonah.

In reading the last number of your Magazine I find a subscriber requiring an answer to the following question.

"At the Game of Picquet A has scored 100 and is eldest hand, but not being able to count any, plays one. B is 96, and has the point good for six-who wins the game?"

Now surely, Mr. Editor, your subscriber could never have heard of the Reverend Mr. Hoyle, and must have been in the habit of playing with Spoons (Stephen does not acknowledge the word), who do not know that according to the rules of that scientific game, Picquet, the Point counts before everything else, a carte blanche excepted; consequently A being at 100 loses the game by

SIR,

not having the Point good; he cannot score the one he plays B's Point of six cards, scoring first, and making 101, GAME; if not, why play on when the Eldest hand is at 100? for according to your Subscriber, or his adversary's way of thinking, the Eldest hand must win the game when arrived at the score of 100.

If. your Subscriber plays French Points, is fond of the game, and is to be had, I should like much to know where he hangs out, as there are sad rumours of Pay Reductions afloat, and a man must turn an honest penny somehow or other in these severe times.

Yours and your Magazine's
Well wisher,
RIFLE.

29th July.

what he had to say on the subject before I ventured to send you an account of one of the best hunts on this side of India.

The Surat Hunt was established in January, 1827, and on such an economical footing that it enabled the junior subaltern of the Station to become a member, a member, without

feeling the expense usually attending the enjoyment of that noble sport fifteen Rupees being paid as a donation on entrance, beside a monthly subscription of three Rupees, and one Rupee daily by each member present at any meeting of the Hunt, as cap money. The Hunt generally meets twice a month, but any member signifying his wish to go out (at any time) to the Secretary, the latter circulates a paper to that effect, and provided three members attend,the tent, tables, &c., belonging to the Hunt, are sent out to the place fixed upon; the Secretary provides beaters, &c., who are paid from the fund, and

one

member, selected by the rest, has the management of them for the time being. Poking or throwing are allowed-breakfast and dinner pic-nic fashion. The Hunt at present consists of twenty-one members, and amongst them, I can safely say, are several firstrate sportsmen on the Bombay side of India.

The sport this season has not been so good as formerly-with the exception of the two last meetings at the Tomb. It would not only take up too much room in your excellent Magazine but be irksome to your readers, if I gave you a full account of each day's sport-but I trust it will be acceptable in a curtailed shape.

from two to half a mile in breadth. It is all bauble, and many parts of it impenetrable. In the two former years several attempts had been made to get the hog out of this jungle, and neither having been successful, it was generally supposed the result of our meeting on the 29th May would also be a failure, but the capital arrangements made by our Secretary overcame all difficulties, and as every one was anxious for sport, the order of the day, Hold hard let them get away was well attended to. How tantalizing it was to see, I may say, hundreds of hog running about in every direction, frightened by the matchlocks (eighty in number), the shouts and screams of two hundred and fifty beaters, many hog actually lying down in bushes within fifty yards and in sight of us. Such a scene is not to be witnessed often now a days. After trying our patience for some time, several large sounders at length took out into the thin jungle and the plain. The party on one side near the Swally Creek soon laid low six splendid fellows, while those on the tank side, after killing a large boar, saw a monster making away from he jungle; they followed at a trot to let him get out well-then, what a rush was made for the spear! The Rocking horse first, but the old horse was passed by Mr. G.'s, to whose lot the first spear fell. The monster was killed after some trouble, at the edge of the thick jungle, but he had ripped a valuable horse "Hotspur"-and lucky was it he did not make better use of his tusks; when brought to the tents the animal was measured. Its length from snout to the root of the tail was five feet four inches; its height from shoulder to toe, three feet two inches; tushes, nine

inches and a half. Several old hands were present, but all declared they had never seen such a monster. Shortly after this boar was killed, the whole party had scarcely met, when a sounder of eleven were seen making across the plain for the thick jungle"Go it" was the word, and our nags soon brought us in the midst of them. Five soon bit the dust, and three badly wounded got into the jungle-but it was so thick 'twas utterly impossible to follow ; we then returned to our tents, thirteen large hog being bagged. Such a day's sport was scarcely ever equalled, taking into consideration the difficulty of getting the hog out. It is incredible the number that were seen in the jungle both large and small, some two or three hundred; but they well knew their security in it, for on the second day few burst and only three were killed.

The last meeting was equally prosperous. Twelve were killed on the first and six on the second

day. It was on this day, on beating the jungle a second time. without one bursting, that Mr. G. left the party in disgust, and on riding towards Surat met and counted a sounder of upwards of thirty making towards the jungle: he rode back two miles, got his spear, and without changing his horse, killed three without pulling rein before the sounder reached the jungle. The

nag
he rode carried 14st. and up-
wards, and must be a right good
one from his performances this
morning. Thus closed the sea-
son, and I have only to regret that
an abler hand than myself has not
before this sent you an account
of our Hunt and sport.

I remain,
Yours very obediently,
B. D.

Surat, 25th July, 1829.

List of game killed by a gentleman in the Neilgherries within the last six months:33 couple of woodcock; 30 head of black deer, commonly called elk, one of which was measured, and proved 14 h. 2 in.; 1 jungle sheep; 3 wild dogs; 7 bears; 7 hogs; 1 royal tiger, length 9ft. 7in.; 1 cheeta; 100 brace and upwards of jungle fowl and spur fowl; 20 brace and more of hares, some weighing as much as an English hare; 12 brace or more of

pea fowl; brace of quail-often 8 or 10 brace a-day; snipe-often 4 or 5 brace a-day; imperial pigeon, about 20 brace.

The royal tiger he dropped dead with one ball in front of Rullia, 10 miles from Ootacamund. Such a list of killed and bagged may highly excite hopes of sporting visitors to these regions, but it must be borne in mind that such a staunch and indefatigable sportsman as Captain R. is rarely to be found.