12 RACES JOCKEYS. 



and gayest attire. Splendour and beauty seem to regard the 

 occasion granted for display ; and the more immediate actors 

 in the scene harmonize with the general pageant, a well-trained 

 horse and his rider being a perfect model of chaste neatness. 

 All is, however, different at New York. In the interior of the 

 race-course, there were a limited number of people, few equi 

 pages, and a total want of finery or display of any kind. The 

 stands were crowded, but amongst the assembled multitude I 

 could not have numbered more than thirty females who, from 

 their appearance, had no pretensions to the epithet of lady. 

 The jockeys were of all hues, generally coloured boys, whose 

 black faces appeared very grotesque under their bright- 

 coloured, ill-fitting dresses. One jockey, of small size and 

 tender years, was clothed in shabby leather trowsers, which 

 had formed knee-breeches to their original possessor ; and a 

 second had his spindle-shanks in old boots of the largest 

 dimensions, with strings below his knees to prevent his 

 trowsers and boots parting company. Bridles and saddles 

 were covered with mould and rust, and in one instance a pair 

 of stirrup-irons were warped with rope, to fit them for a little 

 tawny foot. On coming up to start for the second heat, the 

 horses displayed much impatience, being, generally, led by 

 one, and sometimes two men on foot, as motley and grotesque 

 in appearance as the riders. Two false starts were made ; and 

 at the time of finally getting away, one horse had his tail in the 

 direction of the others heads. The jockeys rode all in the 

 same style, their toes being placed near to the nose of the 

 horse, and their heads inclining back above the tail. The 

 second heat was run in three minutes and fifty-five seconds, 

 after which I withdrew, disappointed at what I had witnessed. 

 On reaching a foreign land for the first time, a person is 

 apt to judge every thing he sees by the standard of his own 

 country, until the home-rust, which more or less accumulates 

 on every one, is rubbed off, and a consequent expansion 

 of mind takes place. At first it appeared to me illiberal 

 to exclude the poor from seeing a race, and sordid to exact 

 money from the rich who witnessed it, particularly in a 

 reputed free country like the United States of America. 

 On reflection, however, I could not see any impropriety in 



