THE TROTTING-IIORSE OF AMERICA. 137 



Mohammed, succeeded to the throne at Peshawur. He 

 continued to interpose prevarication and procrastination to 

 the demands of the Maharajah; but the matter was finally 

 brought to an issue by one Ventura, an Italian soldier of 

 fortune, and a general in K-unjeet's service. Having made 

 another formal demand for Lylee, he was met, as all the 

 other negotiators had been, with quibbles from Sooltan 

 Khan; whereupon, calling up a lot of soldiers whom he 

 had instructed to straggle after him into the courtyard 

 of the palace, he declared Sooltan his prisoner. Thereupon 

 Lylee was delivered up ; but, to maintain possession of him, 

 the Maharajah was obliged to fight another war. 



In 1839, this horse was seen by some English officers. 

 He was then very old they could not say how old and 

 feeble ; a flee-bitten gray, standing over sixteen hands high, 

 and with all the plain strength of a coarse, thoroughbred 

 horse. So much for Lylee, whose description would answer 

 well for one of the Messengers. 



We will pass from him to one that was unquestionably 

 of the Messenger blood, the gray mare Lady Blanche, by 

 Abdallah. This mare was raised by Mr. John Treadwell, 

 who also raised her sire Abdallah, on the island here. She 

 was certainly one of the first foals, if not the very first, 

 that Abdallah got. According to Mr. Treadwell, and the 

 unbroken tradition of his men, she was the first got by that' 

 grandson of imported Messenger. Lady Blanche was a 

 handsome gray mare, fifteen hands two and a half inches 

 high, with a long tail. She was foaled in 1829, and, when 

 rising six years old, was matched against Awful to trot 

 under saddle for two thousand dollars a side, half forfeit, 

 over the Centreville Course. At that time, Awful was 

 owned by Mr. S. ISTeal of New York. He cut his quarter, 

 and was compelled to pay forfeit. He was a bay, fifteen 

 hands two inches high, and a lofty goer. 



After this match, he was sold to the Messrs. Anderson of 

 New York, and matched against Screwdriver, a sorrel pony, 



