When I had become more familiar with this mixed multitude of sights and sounds, I endeavoured to take a closer survey of some of the objects composing the medley.  The first thing which attracted my particular notice, was a profusion of oaths and imprecations, which proceeded from one of the curtained booths.  I paid the admittance money to a well-dressed man, of smooth, easy manners, and entered.  I found there several parties paired off, and engaged at different games; but, like the rest of the bystanders, I felt myself most strongly attracted towards the two who were betting highest.  One of these was an elderly man, of a tall stature, in a plain dress; the other was a short man, in very costly apparel, and some years younger.  For a long time the scales of victory seemed balanced between them; but at length the tall man, who had great self-possession, and who played with consummate skill, won the game:  soon after which he rose up, and making a graceful, respectful bow to the rest of the company, he retired.  Not being able to catch his eye, so intent was he on his game, I felt some curiosity to know whether he was a Glonglim; but could not ascertain the fact, as some of whom the Brahmin inquired, said that he was, while others maintained that he was not.  His adversary, however, evidently belonged to that class, and, when flushed with hope, reminded me of the feather-hunter.  At first he endeavoured, by forced smiles, to conceal his rage and disappointment.  He then bit his lips with vexation, and challenged one of the bystanders to play for a smaller stake.  Fortune seemed about to smile on him on this occasion; but one of the company, who appeared to be very much respected by the rest, detected the little man in some false play, and publicly exposing him, broke up the game.  I understood afterwards, that before the fair was over, the gamester avenged himself for this injury in the other’s blood:  that he then returned to the fair, secretly entered another gambling booth, where he betted so rashly, that he soon lost not only his patrimonial estate, which was large, but his acquired wealth, which was much larger.  Having lost all his property, and even his clothes, he then staked and lost his liberty, and even his teeth, which were very good; and he will thus be compelled to live on soups for the rest of his life.

I saw several other matches played, in which great sums were betted, great skill was exhibited, and occasionally much unfairness practised.  There was one man in the crowd, whose extraordinary good fortune I could not but admire.  He went about from table to table, sometimes betting high and sometimes low, but was generally successful, until he had won as much as he could fairly carry; after which he went out, and amused himself at a puppet-show, and the stall of a cake-woman, with whom he had formerly quarrelled, but who now, when she learnt his success, was obsequiously civil to him.  I did not see that he manifested superior skill, but still he was successful; and in his last great stake with a young, but not inexpert player, he won the game, though the chances were three to two against him.  “Surely,” thought I, “fortune rules the destinies of man in the moon as well as on the earth.”