Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1877 — Betting on the Weather. [ARTICLE]

Betting on the Weather.

The “gentle Hindoo” .and ,rmildMohammedan” have, it seems, invented between them a perfectly novel soit of gambling. In one quarter of the interesting City of Ajmer there>is .a house occupied by some soothsayers who are credited by the public with the faculty of foreseeing changes of weather. fTkey are represented to be remarkably in their predictions, owing to long practice in their profession. Outside the residence of those worthy seers a crowd of natives assembles everyday for the purpose of betting on the chance-as a down-pour. After the “straight tip”ihas been purchased from one of the prophets, the buyer commences bellowing, after the manner of “ list men” .cmEnglish racecourses,' that he will take or lay certain odds about the fall of rain “within a given time. The ordinary quotations are sixteen to one against heavy rain coming down within tventy-four hours, eight to one against a light showeshappening, and longer odds in both cases as the time is reduced 'When the weather happens to be exceptionally variable, fee whole street becomesdslocked by an excited throng of fambiers, and the prophets do a smart usiness :in “ straight tips.” .It appears that the seers themselves very often join in the amusement and bath : their respective opinions with the greatest pluck. As the hour approaches for the majority of the bets to be decided, the: more nervous gamblers are heard offering' their chances of winningiat a heavy discount. This allows the weather prophets aan opportunity of “ hedging” at considerable advantage, and it frequently happens that the book of an old seer will show aaertainty of gain whether rain falls or nq£, ‘Could not this method of gambling be acclimatized in England ? The dullness of which CapelCourt complains might possibly be exchanged for. renewed activity if the conifiding British public wereriempted with -oome freshertlures than the ahi “ bulling” .nnd “bearing” operations. Then, too, .our variable .Climate wouliibe the very i thing for the ipsirpose, while . the rnetero- • illogical department might perhaps be induced to furnish “ straight tips” until the sporting prophets .took to forecasting the weather as a regular branch >of their profession. Ajmer.deserves eveiy . ciedit for its ingenuity in.discovering a .perfectly nevz means by which simpleUMki may loss their money. Globe.