The natives in India do not flock to a race-course the way our country-people do, nor do they take such interest in the sport as Irishmen did. When I was quartered at Boyle, a sporting squire had a horse called Harry Lorrequer, which was entered for a steeple-chase to be run near our barracks. A young, fresh-looking Englishman had just joined our dépôt as ensign, and the owner of Harry Lorrequer, having seen him ride, liked his seat, and fancied the way he managed his horse, so he asked the new-comer to ride for him. The young officer did not know what he was undertaking when he agreed to pilot the nag in the Boyle Steeple-chase. The day was fine, and a great crowd of countrymen, staunch supporters of the owner of Harry Lorrequer, were assembled near the temporary stand. They were all armed with shilelaghs, and were very vehement in their declarations ‘that niver another horse would win’ but their one. The start took place amid shouts of defiance, ‘the boys’ ran like madmen over the course, but Harry had it all his own way, and won in a canter. ‘The boys’ were frantic with delight; they crowded round the winner, seized hold of the young Englishman, roaring and cheering as if they were going to murder him, carried him on their shoulders everywhere, and at length allowed the exhausted youth to escape. Some days after, I was driving my young friend in my dog-cart, and happened to stop at an inn on the road, when a quiet, mild-looking Paddy touched his hat and said, ‘More power to ye, captin, ye rode fine the other day, yer honour.’ ‘Oh, you were at the Boyle Steeple-chase,’ was the reply. ‘Is it me, sorr?--sure I was one of the boys that carried ye round the coorse,’ said the countryman, cocking his hat, and looking surprised at not being recognised. ‘If I had lost the race, what would you have done?’ was the question then put by my friend. ‘Bedad, captin, I don’t know,’ replied the man, scratching his head; ‘but any way the other horse would never have been let to win. Yer honour was quite safe to do it.’ My young friend’s face was a picture worth seeing.