GYMKHANA MEETINGS. 283 races, flat-races, camel-races, all had their day. Some of the sporting Arabs used to enter their horses in the flat- races, the Vakeel (head man of the town now that the Mudir was gone) especially being a great owner, and also jockey. One particular race was a great favourite ; it was riding barebacked a short distance round a post, coming back to the starting-post, dismounting, sitting on a chair, drinking a bottle of gingerbeer, and then the course again. Another one was tandem-racing, riding one pony and driving another. All this took place on " Newmarket Heath" at the back of the town, a magnificent stretch of ground, called by courtesy turf. Though perhaps not so green as it might have been, it made a first-rate racecourse, and many were the Friday afternoons we attended this Gymkhana meeting.

To chronicle all the interesting events that occurred along the river, race-meetings, concerts, and general news, I , the enterprising adjutant of the G.C.R., started a newspaper. It contained a vast amount of interesting information, scientific, sporting, social, and otherwise, and was printed by the Engineers,