66 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER 



" horsey," several owning blood horses, the relative 

 speed of each being known, by separate trials, almost 

 to a foot. Mu-la-qne-top was bantered for a race, 

 and, after several days of manoeuvring, a match was 

 made against the third best horse in the garrison, 

 distance 400 yards. 



' 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. At the 

 appointed time all the Indians and most of the 

 garrison were assembled at the track. 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 struck pity into 

 the hearts of all beholders. The rider was a stalwart 

 ■warrior 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 apparent exertion, and with exactly the same 

 result. 



