INDIA'S FIGHTERS.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2788, 10 August 1915, Page 4

INDIA'S FIGHTERS.

WONDERFUL RIDING. British Headquarters, Mny 30. Perhaps the strangest scene that lias 'been witnessed iv Flanders sinco tho war broke out took place this afornoon on tho broad plain somo mllee behind,, the firing line, whero some of tho Indian regiments at the front held a gymkhana. The war was forgotten for a 'few hours—though over tho bltio hills in the distanco the usual evening cannonade was going on—and tho sole object of all there, Britisher and Indian alike, was enjoyment. The scone was an extraordinarily varied one. It scorned as though every regiment of the Allies was represented. Tho khaki' of the British Tommy mingled with tho new "horizon-blue" of tho French private, wliilo the turban of'the Sikh was contrasted with the picturesque headdress of the Algerian goumier. Everywhere were flashing teeth and beaming smiles and in the bright sunshine tlio picture acquired an almost Oriental aspect. Indians were largely in tho majority, and mounted on their magnificent horses they presented a splendid picture. Mingling in the crowd were hero and thero to be seen tho white cloake and gold be-ribboned waistcoats of the Moroccan light cavalry, tho finely proportioned blacks being tho object of great interest among tho French peasantry, who stared openmouthed at such an unusual spectacle ■Half a dozen -different Oriental dialects could be heard simultaneously, amid which tho shrill accents of the Flemish tongue rose now and again in some exclamation of wonder or surprise. The programme included tent-peg-ging, running racas, jumping, wrestling, a, V.C race, trick-riding, races for tho village girls and boys, and last, but not least, a sack race. All tho men entered into tho spirit of the competitions with the .greatest' zest, and- in many of tliem considerable skill Avas shown. The eack race was, as usual; the. cause of much merriment. It was open to both Tommies and Indians, and some of tho latter showed themselves quite adepte at what must have been to them a somewhat unaccustomed mode of xwogression. One of the prizes in this even was, in fact, captured by an Indian. Tlio V.O. race .was ono of the most interesting events on tho programme. A row of Indians came racing driwn tho course to a pbin'fc where a , number of dummies manufactured out of old sacking were lying on the ground. Each competitor had to α-ismouni from his Ijorse, pick up a dummy, and ride with it oh his-saddle'bow back to the starting point/the first back taking the prize. A fierce fire of blank cartridge, was kept up the whole timo by a line of kneeling Indians, intended to represent the enemy. TRICK-RIDING FEATS. Undoubtedly. tho. most interesting event of the afternoon was the trickxiding by selected members of the Indian Cavalry. Though they have not had any opportunity to practise for nearly a year, the feats they performed and the agility with which they were carried out were astounding. The men seemed to be fastened to their fiery steeds. Nothing could shake them off. Every feat was accompanied by a great deal of shouting and the firing of many revolvers. The men passed standing erect on the saddle, with the horse going at full gallop. They, rode on their heads, they rode backwards and sideways, bent down and picked objects off the ground with one leg crooked round the saddle, and performed a multitude of other similar feats with an ease and dexterity marvellous to the onlooker./ In one event a couple of lances were set in racks on the ground, and. a few yards further. on two pegs were fixed. Two riders came thundering down the course, lined by a sea of faces of black and white, picked up the lances skilfully, impaled the pegs in the eiact centre, and rode off with them at tho tip of. their lances amid wild accalamation from their' fellow countrymen. As a finalo all the competitors in this event rode down the course at full gallop standing on their horses and firing off their revolvers. The fitness of the Indian uniteboth men and horses—was amply demonstrated. The keen faces and agile movements of the Indians were only equalled by the sleek appearance of ..tfieir steeds, which seemed ready for any amount of hard work. All to whom I spoke were, keenly desirous of getting into grips with the enemy. As one native officer remarked, "How can I return to my village with none of my company wounded ?" This sentence is illustrative of tho spirit of o\iv native soldiers.—Scotsman.