Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-10-14

,hrashing and sitting down or falling
back rs the case may bc.
Sakaas (watcr-carricrs) equipped
with sewn-up Shccpskin filled with |
water. and basin containing lump
of ice. with their monotonous cry ELI
Tishnacc" C'.Oh. We thirsty') do =
roaring trade. never refusing drink.
and depending solely on the generosity
of the drinker for remuneration. AT
intervals n racc-horsc. mui!led up TO
the eyes in heavy nummads. is harried
by TO its place.
A sudden stir announces some cause |
of excitement, and the next moment Il
huge TurcOman horse comes tearing
along the track, with youngster of
about four years hanging to the pom
mel with one hand. and holding dcs-
pcrately to a long lance, which is trail
ing along the ground. with the other
\ dozen men rush forward 10 stop the
horse. but he cudcs them. Knocking
one down. and it is not until half the
course has been trayerscd that he Is
stopped opposite the grand stand. the
child having stuck 20 him and the lance
with the greatest determination. to the
delight OF the people. who cheer the
plucky little fellow as Justify rs they
know how. a rope Is now stretched
across the course; four red silk bags,
containing the prizes, none Of them
over two hundred dollars, are laid on
the ground. There is great stir. and
dozen fine horses, all TurSomanS. arr
led forward. The jockeys are dressed
in top-boot>. wide trousers Of Man
chester cotton. gorgeous gold-laccd
coats ard have gay colorcd ShawlS over
their heads.
One old ,tager. who has led his horse
some twenty yards ahead, under the
wall. suddenly gives II wild yell.
looscnS hi> horses head. and before the
Mirakah or head groom. who acts ~
starter. can do any thing, the whole
dozen are after him, yelling like de-
mons. and the race has commenced;
the Shah, TO whom the horse belonged.
evidently enjoying the joke.
Thi, race i, six times round, equal TO
twelve miles, which. considering the
nature of the course. and that the
horses gallop all the way. is severe
trial. and many of the horses pull up
hupclc,,ly ruined. The time occupied
was twcnty-scvcn minutes, twcnty-cight !
seconds; won by one of the principal |
merchants. The next race. ten miloS.
was won bv horse owned by the |
Naib-i.Sultana. The ti:rl race, cigh, |
miles. also Naib-i- Sultana. The fourth |
race. siN miles. was won by one OF the |
Shah's horses in twelve minutes, fifty !
five seconds. In this race the third |
horse came in ridcrlcss, having fallen
and broken his Jockeys thigh. This,
however did not lose him the third
prize. The last two races. four miles
each. were won by the Naib-i-Sultana
and merchant, respectively. y pc
cuiiar feature in the racing here is the
absence of all betting.
This perhaps may be partly accounted
for by the fact that whenever horse
not owned 10y the Shah appeared likely !
To win. his (thc Shah'S) oniciouS at
tcndants rushed forward with sticks
and stones and cndoavored 10 drive
the prcsuming rider back; this was the
cause OF the accident in the fourth race,
one horse shying and falling, tho next |
one tumbling on top of him.
After the racing there was march |
pas, OF the troops, which occupied two
hours First came u company ol sap |
pers; these excited the amusement,
of many OF the Slgh,sccrs. who did no,
understand soldiers fighting with such !
weapons. one critic near me remark |
ing: "They must be the grave
diggcrs!" These were followed by |
some two thousand infantry, who pre-
scntcd quite a respectable appearance
compared with last year, and had they |
been sorted little into equal sizes,
and taught not to quarrel, talk in the
ranks, or dodge around the puddlcs in
the road. would have passed muster
very well.
Here and there taking place in the |
ranks a boy in civilian dress was
marching, all unconscious of being on,
of place. In another instance, when
ordered TO keep in line. dozen voices
from the ranks cried out: There's
no room; the road is too narrow" etc.
Immediately after the infantry. an en-
tcrprising gentleman on horseback, in
u borrowed suit OF ancient armor,
mace and shield complete, solemnly
rode into the ranks and endeayorcd TO
march by the grand stand. He was
seized and led away. amid the jeers
and laughter of the onlookers. Fol-
lowing on came fifty brass muzzle-
loading guns, escorted by two thou.
sand cavalry, the horses wearing heavy |
silver neck and chest bands, each |
squad of twenty-four being led by |
officers. some with drawn swords,
others with drawn riding-whips. but |
but all with massive gold trappings on
their horses.
These were in turn succeeded by
three thousand cavalry. with plain har-
ness. but well dressed, we'll mounted,
and fairly well disciplined. Next in
order came some tive hundred Persian
Cossacks. escorting two handsome
breechloaders. These they galloped
by in excellent style, and the pro-