80 FAMOUS RACINO MEN. 



was very popular, that they gave a rattling view-halloo, in which 

 the learned brethren of the bar and the ermined judge himself were 

 maliciously reported at the time to have cordially joined. This was not 

 the only serious altercation in which Gully was engaged, for he and 

 Mr. Osbaldeston had words on one occasion. The " Squire" challenged 

 Grully, had him "out," and sent a ball through his hat; " But better 

 through my hat than my head," said the ex-prizefighter, as he picked 

 up his head-gear and coolly surveyed the bullet-hole. Sometimes, 

 however, Grully was happier in his assaults, as for example in the fol- 

 lowing instance. Once at Newmarket an audacious young tout was 

 standing near him as he sat on horseback, cigar in mouth, and book 

 and card in hand at the cords, and hearing the great bookmaker 

 offer odds against a horse, shouted to him, " I'll take you." Oully, of 

 course, took no notice of the impertinence, but booked the bet with 

 some one else, and lost it. To his surprise the tout came up and 

 claimed the money, and not satisfied with Gully's curt disclaimer, 

 kept dunning " Old England " at intervals during the meeting. At 

 last Mr. Gully told him to come up to his rooms after the race, and 

 he would settle with him. When the impudent impostor arrived, the 

 stalwart bookmaker seized him by the collar and used his dog-whip 

 with such stinging effect upon the poor wretch's shoulders that he 

 howled out promises of the most hearty repentance, and went to 

 another betting-market in future. However, the story got wind, and 

 the tout, finding that he was universally called " Young Gully," put a 

 good face upon his chastening and ever after reverentially alluded 

 to the great bookmaker as " my father." 



Hunting, too, was a sport which always had a charm for John 

 Gully, and during Mr. Osbaldeston's mastership he spent a good deal 

 of time with him at Quorn, for the little difference between them, to 

 which we have alluded, was soon healed. His observation of every- 

 thing was so keen that " The Druid," a competent] authority, says 

 that if John Gully had been required to take the horn for a season, he 

 would have given a very good account of his foxes. During a long 

 sojourn at Ackworth Park, near Pontefract, which he had purchased 

 after selling his estate of Ware, in Hertfordshire, he figured as a fair 

 man across country, and as one of the chief supporters of the 

 Badsworth Hunt. At no time of his life, however, was he a hard rider, 

 though he had once a narrow escape of being drowned when out with 

 the Badsworth, owing to his horse falling with and upon him and 

 rolling into a deep pond in a farm yard, the surface of the water 

 being covered with chaff. But the turf, after all, was his ruling 

 passion, and in 1834 he was heart and soul with the Chifneys in their 

 vain endeavour to win the Derby with Shillelagh, Gully offering an 

 extraordinary sum for Plenipotentiary as that horse was being saddled 

 for the great race, which he won by a short head from Shillelagh. He 

 changed his trainers later on, and for the last time, when he sent his 

 horses to Danebury, where they did wonders for the rather failing 

 fortunes of old John Day. In 1844 his racing star was very much 



