Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 2.djvu/30

 with jewels and chains of gold. The Gaja Rājā, in her Mahratta riding dress, mounted one of the horses, and the ladies the others; they cantered and pranced about, showing off the Mahratta style of riding. On dismounting, the young Gaja Rājā threw her horse's bridle over my arm, and said, laughingly, "Are you afraid? or will you try my horse?" Who could resist such a challenge? "I shall be delighted," was my reply. "You cannot ride like a Mahratta in that dress," said the Princess; "put on proper attire." I retired to obey her commands, returning in Mahratta costume, mounted her horse, put my feet into the great iron stirrups, and started away for a gallop round the enclosure. I thought of Queen Elizabeth, and her stupidity in changing the style of riding for women. En cavalier, it appeared so safe, as if I could have jumped over the moon. Whilst I was thus amusing myself, "Shāh-bāsh! shāh-bāsh!" exclaimed some masculine voice; but who pronounced the words, or where the speaker lay perdu, I have never discovered.

"Now," said I to the Gaja Rājā, "having obeyed your commands, will you allow one of your ladies to ride on my side-saddle?" My habit was put on one of them; how ugly she looked! "She is like a black doctor!" exclaimed one of the girls. The moment I got the lady into the saddle, I took the rein in my hand, and riding by her side, started her horse off in a canter; she hung on one side, and could not manage it at all; suddenly checking her horse, I put him into a sharp trot. The poor lady hung half off the animal, clinging to the pummel, and screaming to me to stop; but I took her on most unmercifully, until we reached the spot where the Bāiza Bā'ī was seated; the walls rang with laughter; the lady dismounted, and vowed she would never again attempt to sit on such a vile crooked thing as a side-saddle. It caused a great deal of amusement in the camp.

"Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il croit."

The Mahratta ladies live in parda, but not in such strict seclusion as the Musalmānī ladies; they are allowed to ride on horseback veiled; when the Gaja Rājā goes out on horseback, she is