week, and after having had several
good runs. Foxhounds stand the heat of India badly, and most of them out
there die of liver disease, despite the precaution taken of sending them
to the hills during the hot months.

At Singapore, drag-hunting provides good sport in which ladies
participate, and show their fine horsewomanship to admiring friends,
when the run finishes over the fences on the racecourse. At Shanghai we
can go paperchasing on China (Mongolian) ponies, which, despite their
want of pace and somewhat three-cornered appearance, are very clever
over bad ground. The ladies whom I had the pleasure of meeting in
Shanghai, like those in India, were all devoted to riding, and I had
many merry scampers across country with them. In the country round
Tientsin, we had often to jump over ponderous coffins, for John Chinaman
has a provoking way of omitting to bury his relations, after he has
stowed them away in their long homes.

Having to stay for a month at Suez, I was greatly disappointed to find
no better mounts than the very knowing Egyptian donkeys. As I had never
ridden that kind of animal before, I sent my syce, Motee, to hire a
couple for the day. To my surprise, the donkey owner came to tell me
that I could not ride any of his animals unless he accompanied me! I
assured him that I was capable of managing an ass, and would take every
care of the beast entrusted to me. He smiled, apparently at my
presumption, and as I saw that he would not let me have my way, I
consented to the infliction of his company. At the appointed time he
appeared on foot, leading two mokes and armed with a long thick stick.
As he was evidently going to walk, I whispered to Motee to gallop after
me as hard as he could, and give the stick man the slip. This I found
far easier said than done, because my donkey utterly ignored my
commands, even when they were backed up by force, and would take orders
only from his master. I saw the man trying to conceal a smile, as I
whacked my placid mount with the energy of one who meant business, so
impatiently asked him if he had fulfilled the promise he had given Motee
to bring me his best donkeys. He assured me that I was sitting on the
back of Mrs. Langtry, who was well known as the fastest animal in Suez,
and by far the handsomest. He said he had Mrs. Cornwallis West, Ellen
Terry, Mary Anderson, Mrs. Kendal, and other good mounts; but Mrs.
Langtry was the pick of the basket for speed and endurance.