360 THE TROTTING-IIORSE OF AMERICA. 



weather of this Island, and habits of observation in a great 

 deal of out-door life, in races, working trotters, fishing, and 

 otherwise, had led me to conclude, that, as the tide was that 

 afternoon, the wind would abate about three or four o'clock. 

 Prior to that, we had had the half-mile pole removed. It 

 cast a shadow across the course, and Dexter had sometimes 

 jumped over it. He was in his box in charge of Peter 

 Conover, whom he always liked well, and who liked him 

 well, until about half-past three. 



We then took him on to the course, and I gave Murphy 

 his final instructions. They were, that he should hold him 

 within himself the first half-mile, let him come round the 

 Flushing end, and, when he got into the straight side com- 

 ing home, call upon him for his best rate. Pace is a diffi- 

 cult thing to estimate ; but Murphy, for so young a man, is 

 a very good judge of the rate he is going at. Still, it was 

 not effected just as we had intended it should be, and we 

 could hardly expect that it would be. The wisest and best- 

 laid plans are often difficult to carry out. Johnny Murphy 

 mounted, and jogged around to warm the horse up. The 

 judges in the stand were Mr. James Jacks, Mr. F. Howard, 

 and Mr. S. Truesdell. These gentlemen are well known as 

 competent timers and impartial men. Nobody in this coun- 

 try ever questioned the decision they rendered as to the 

 time Dexter took to trot the mile ; but the French and Eng- 

 lish do not to this day fully believe that the horse did it. It 

 is so opposed to all their notions of trotting-speed, that they 

 cannot put full faith in it. * 



After having jogged Dexter round, Murphy set him a-go- 

 ing, and sent him along by the stand, but not for the word. 

 On the turn he made such a break as would have defeated 

 him in that trial, if he had received the word ; but I did 

 not care about that at all. I could see that his speed was 



* They have had another year, and a surpassing of that performance, 

 since Hiram dictated the above ; but they remain incredulous. 



