held the night before at the race-stand, and they were quite big ones,
numbers of them on each race. In addition, there was, of course,
plenty of private wagering between one man and another. Very often in
the cold weather racing would be held up by dense fogs so that for a
time it was difficult to see across the breadth of the course, the
consequence being that we were on those mornings late for office. Even
in those far-off days professional jockeys were employed, but
principally in the cold weather. The riding at the monsoon meetings
was mostly confined to G.R.'s.


SOCIAL AND OTHER CLUBS.

Of other sport there was not much. There was no football, and no
tennis clubs; but there were cricket clubs (Calcutta and Ballygunge),
and the Golf Club, which had the course and a tent on the site of the
present pavilion on the maidan, but there were few members and they
used to spend their time sipping pegs and chatting more often than
playing golf. Of course, there was polo for those who could afford it,
but there was no Tollygunge Club, no Royal Calcutta Golf Club, and no
Jodhpore Club.

As regards social clubs, there was the Bengal, which was then very
much more exclusive than now, and into which it was difficult to
obtain an entrance unless you had been a long time in the city and had
a certain standing. The old _Qui Hais_ who were members looked askance
at young men. There was also the United Service Club which was at
first confined strictly to I.C.S. men and military officers, but
subsequently financial considerations led to its being thrown open to
members of other services.