The course was at present covered with a throng of natives in their bright colored garments, and mixed with them were the scarlet uniforms of the Sepoys of the 103d and other regiments.
On the opposite side were a number of native vehicles of various descriptions, and some elephants with painted faces and gorgeous trappings, and with howdahs shaded by pavilions glittering with gilt and silver.
On either side of their vehicle a long line of carriages was soon formed up, and among these were several occupied by gayly dressed natives, whose rank gave them an entrance to the privileged inclosure.

The carriages were placed three or four yards back from the rail, and the intervening space was filled with civilian and military officers, in white or light attire, and with pith helmet or puggaree; many others were on horseback behind the carriages.
"It is a bright scene, Miss Hannay," the Doctor said, coming up to the carriage.
"Wonderfully pretty, Doctor!" "An English race course doesn't do after this, I can tell you.

I went down to the Derby when I was at home, and such an assembly of riff raff I never saw before and never wish to see again." "These people are more picturesque, Dr.Wade," Mrs.Hunter said, "but that is merely a question of garment; these people perhaps are no more trustworthy than those you met on the racecourse at home." "I was speaking of them purely as a spectacle; individually I have no doubt one would be safer among the English roughs and betting men than among these placid looking natives.

The one would pick your pockets of every penny you have got if they had the chance, the other would cut your throat with just as little compunction." "You don't really mean that, Dr.Wade ?" Isobel said.
"I do indeed, Miss Hannay; the Oude men are notorious brawlers and fighters, and I should say that the roughs of Cawnpore and Lucknow could give long odds to those of any European city, and three out of four of those men you see walking about there would not only cut the throat of a European to obtain what money he had about him, but would do so without that incentive, upon the simple ground that he hated us." "But why should he hate us, Doctor?
he is none the worse off now than he was before we annexed the country." "Well, yes, that class of man is worse off.

In the old days every noble and Zemindar kept up a little army for the purpose of fighting his neighbors, just as our Barons used to do in the happy olden times people talk of.