A NATIVE JOCKEY. 151 



several owning blood horses, the relative speed of each 

 being known by separate trials almost to a foot. Mu- 

 la-que-top was bantered for a race, and after several 

 days of manoeuvring, a race was made against the third 

 best horse of the garrison, distance four hundred 

 yards. 



4 The Indians betted robes and "plunder" of 

 various kinds, to the value, of sixty or seventy dollars, 

 against money, flour, sugar, &c., to a like amount. 

 The Indians " showed " a miserable sheep of a pony, 

 with legs like churns, a three-inch coat of rough hair 

 stuck out all over the body, and a general expression 

 of neglect, helplessness, and patient suffering which 

 struck pity into the hearts of all beholders. 



' The rider was a stalwart Indian of one hundred 

 and seventy pounds, looking big and strong enough 

 to carry the poor beast on his shoulders. He was 

 armed with a huge club, with which, after the word 

 was given, he belaboured the miserable animal from 

 start to finish, To the astonishment of all the whites, 

 the Indian won by a neck. 



' Another race was proposed by the officers, and 

 after much " dickering " accepted by the Indians 

 against the next best horse of the garrison. The bets 

 were doubled, and in less than an hour the second 

 race was won by the same pony, with the same appa- 

 rent exertion and with exactly the same result. 



