XI.
INDIAN SPORTS.
THE present territory of the Ulwur State is 3024 square miles in extent, and contains a population of 800,000. These are all what are known in India as Rajputs, a warlike tribe, of handsome physique, great power of endurance, and a remarkably intelligent race.
The city of Ulwur is in the very centre of the State. That city, as well as the whole State, have, under the able management of the present Maharajah, assisted by his Council, but, above all, by the great wisdom and statesmanship of Sri-Ram, assumed a degree of refinement and systematic government which might most advantageously be taken as an example by other Indian Principalities.
Like his friend and neighbour Dholpore, the Maharajah of Ulwur is a young gentleman of barely twenty-two years, and although his education has not had the highly-refined European touch which Colonel Deniehy has imparted to Dholpore—having been from his cradle under Sri-Ram’s tutorship—he is far, far above the average of other native princes. Like his ancestors, he is a thorough Rajput in his looks, his military bearing, and warlike propensities. Besides his stud, his hunting gear, and other manly sports, his chief pastime is drilling his troops and keeping up his army in a thoroughly efficient condition. Indeed, his cadet corps, consisting of several hundred boys, ranging from nine to fourteen, would not discredit any part of the world; and last, though not least, the Maharajah’s band, all native musicians, under the leadership of a German bandmaster, is, next to that of the Nizam of Hyderabad’s, the best I have heard in India, not even excepting the British regimental bands in Calcutta.
Knowing the sporting proclivities of Ulwur, we had not wasted much of our valuable time in the “field” elsewhere, and after some consultation with the Maharajah, drew up a programme of sports. The first on the list was one which now has become a thing of the past in Europe, viz., hawking. Here, however, birds are kept specially for this kind of amusement, and they are so admirably trained that one can spend hours watching the wonderful control the master has over his birds. The next chase on the feathery tribe, and a most extraordinary pastime of our host, is bird-catching with lynxes. The lynx, as everyone knows, is a half-link between the cat and the tiger, a most active quadruped, more especially when trained for the sport now witnessed here. The lynx is brought out tied to a small chain. The birds are kept in a box, with a spring trap. Pigeons are usually resorted to. The keeper loosens the collar of the lynx, but holds him, whilst the bird is thrown up in the air. Treacherous though he be by nature, the lynx never attempts to take an undue advantage of its prey. It allows a fair start, and seldom, if ever, tries to catch it before it is fairly on the wing, from twelve to sixteen feet from the ground. One bound, and the bird is caught. We witnessed the operation more than a hundred times, out of which the lynx did not miss its aim more than once in twenty.
The Maharajah’s great love for horseflesh naturally leads him to pay special care to his stud—Arabs, English, Pegu; indeed, every known breed is well and largely represented. The stables, which completely outshine even Her Majesty’s at Windsor Castle, are alone worthy of a trip to Ulwur. White marble loose boxes, with marble mangers and troughs, marble slabs over the doors, with gold inscriptions of name and pedigree, may perhaps convey some idea of the care that is taken of this valuable and extensive stud. Every horse has its own attendants, who live, eat, and sleep with the animal, whose instinct and intellect is so well under control that it obeys every word, every sign of its keeper. But, above all, the most remarkable feature is how thoroughly all these beautiful creatures know “the master.” By the bye, it may be worth mentioning here, that a whim of the Maharajah was to ride up to the top of his palace, where the zenana dwells. In order to be able to do so, the main staircase of the palace has been removed, and an inclined plane substituted, so that when His Highness goes “home,” instead of dismounting at the gate of the palace, he gallops up to the very door of the harem, where the groom in waiting takes charge of his horse, and leads it to the stables, until summoned by his master to lead it up again.
As might naturally be inferred, His Highness is a good whip, and his love for the horse extends to a great proclivity for driving. Indeed, so great is that fancy in him, that he possesses more, and a greater variety of, carriages than anyone I ever came across. It would fill a volume to give a lucid enumeration of the various vehicles I saw at Ulwur. From the bullock-gharry to the mail coach, all the newest, as well as the most old-fashioned two, three, or four-wheeled conveyances, can be seen in the various and immense buildings in which they are kept. The Maharajah is not satisfied with the gigs, buggies, landaus, Victorias, barouches, brakes of the outer world; he has taxed his own ingenuity to create novel means of travelling, which are certainly quaint in their way, though very acceptable in case of need. Amongst them I shall confine myself to the “zenana” carriage, which, in reality, is a roomy house, on enormous wheels, much wider and higher than a Pullman railway car, but also much more roomy and comfortable. This ponderous “trap” is drawn by a team of four, six, or eight elephants, according to the Maharajah’s whim. When he has to drive through the city an order has to be issued to close all the shops and stop all traffic. The machine quite fills the streets from side to side.
The other contrivance is more of an amphibious kind. It is a most elegant steam launch, built of polished mahogany, and most gorgeously fitted up. It rests on a cradle provided with four wheels. When bent on a fishing excursion, or inclined for a trip on one of the rivers—which are some distance from the city—His Highness and suite get into the cabin of this lovely yacht, ten or twelve powerful horses or a couple of elephants are yoked to it, and the boat is driven into the water until it floats off its cradle.