THK (;REAT FOIR-MILE DAY. 283 



principal agency in producing the catastrophe, which, 

 had it not happened, would have spared me the task of 

 chronicling an achievement in turf matters, more re- 

 markable than the connection between pestilence and 

 the setjucl ot" these pages. 



On the third Saturday (if I renieuiber aright) of 



October, \&2'2, the Hon. J L called for me 



on his way to the Jockey Club Races, on the fourniilc 

 day. He had taken up the impression that a race would 

 be a source of amusement and advantage to me ; and in 

 the fulfilment of a humane purpose, had brought along 

 with him an Indian pony, that went by the euphoneous 

 name of " Boots," given as much for shortness, as 

 by reason of the color of the animal, which was an 

 equivocation between a sandy brown and a dingy black 

 — ^just that of a pair of boots, which had not received 

 the polishing aid of the black for an indefinite period. 

 Astride of this epitome of a horse, I made my first ap- 

 pearance upon a race-course. I was then only ten 

 years of age, and the impressions made upon my mind 

 at that time are more vivid than those of a later day, 

 and of more important character. 



There were then no spacious stands erected for tlie 

 accommodation of visitors. Upon a mound within the 

 circle of the track were collected, what was then con- 

 sidered, a vast number of carriages, containing the aris- 

 tocratic beauty of the country — thougli perhaps some of 

 the fair patrons of the turf might at this time, or tlieir 



