OLD MATCHES, AND NEW DODGES 79 



Jackson was surprised at his own position and his 

 own chance ; and afterwards observed, in describing 

 this extraordinary race, " When we got to the first 

 cross-road I had lost all my ill-temper and mortifi- 

 cation ; I turned my head for a moment ; a crowd 

 of horses (twenty-two) were thundering close at my 

 heels ; the sight was terrific, the speed tremendous. 

 Theodore pulled hard, but I held him tight. ' IN'ow, 

 my little fellow,' said I to myself, ' keep up this pace 

 to the top of the hill, and I don't care a straw for the 

 whole lot.' I felt as strong as a giant ; I thought 

 my arms were made of iron ; and the blood rushed 

 merrily through my veins, while my heart thumped 

 at my ribs. Away we went at a rattling pace ; I was 

 first over the hill, and never was headed in any part 

 of the race ! " 



' On reaching the top of the hill, however, 

 Jackson turned his head to look for the first favourite, 

 Swap ; he was in the centre of the crowd. " You 

 are done for," said he to himself; "I sha'n't be 

 troubled with you ! " On descending, he eased 

 Theodore a little ; but was instantly on the look-out 

 for the other favourites, or, to use his own words, 

 '•'the harlequins and the magpies" — that is, Mr. 

 Watt's horses, ridden in harlequin jackets, and Mr. 

 Gascoigne's, in black and white. Swap was com- 

 pletely defeated ; and he had the greatest terror 

 of Mr. Gascoigne's two, particularly Yiolet. Then 

 came the tug of war. The favourites, after passing 



