c
as on like occasions at home. The course is about a mile and a half in
extent, with the ground well cleared. There is the saddling paddock,
in which the "knowing ones" take great interest; and there are the
usual booths for the sale of refreshments, and especially of drink. In
front of the Grand Stand the betting-men from Melbourne are pointed
out to me,--a sharp, rough-looking set they are, dressed in Tweed
suits and flash ties, wearing diamond rings. One of them, a
blear-eyed, tall, strong man, with bushy brown whiskers, bawling out
his "two to one" on such and such a horse--an ugly-looking
customer--was described to me as "the _second_ biggest blackguard in
Victoria; give him a wide berth." Another of the betting-men was
pointed out to me as having been a guard on the South-Eastern Railway
some ten years ago. I need not describe the races: they were like most
others. There were flat races and hurdle races. Six horses ran for the
District Plate. Four of them came in to the winning-post, running neck
and neck. The race was won by only a head.

My friend remained on the course until it was too late to return to
Majorca that night. As the moon did not rise until towards morning, we
were under the necessity of waiting until then, otherwise we might get
benighted in the bush. We tried to find a bed in the hotel, but in
vain. All the beds and sofas in Avoca were occupied. Even the billiard
tables were engaged for the night.

We set out on our return journey to Majorca just as the moon was
rising. She was only in her second quarter, and did not yet give light
enough to enable us to see the road very clearly, so that we went very
cautiously at first. While my companion drove, I snatched the
opportunity for a sleep. I nodded and dozed from time to time,
wakening up suddenly to find a large bright star blinking before my
eyes. The star sank lower and lower towards the horizon. The
green-gold rays of the morning sun rose up to meet it. The star
hovered between the pale growing light below and the dark blue sky
above. Then it melted away in the glow of sunrise. The half-moon still
cast our shadow on the dusty track. But not for long. The zone of
yellow light in the east grows rapidly larger and brighter. The
brilliant edge of the god of day tips the horizon; a burst of light
follows; and now the morning sun, day's harbinger, "comes dancing up
the east." The summits of the trees far away in the silent bush are
bathed in gold.