1 80 The Post and the Paddock. 



Flying Dutchman, advanced to the enclosure, as the 

 saddling bell rang for the Doncaster Cup, Jemmy 

 walked before him, clearing the way, and announcing 

 in the most oracular tones the impending downfall 

 ofVoltigeur; the odds being, as he remarked, "just 

 a horse to a hen." Again, when we stepped up to 

 the Dringhouse stables to see him brought out for his 

 match, there was Jemmy refreshing himself with beer 

 and pudding at the bar, and watching eagerly out 

 of a little window for the signal of departure for the 

 course. 



" Sailor Jack* is another curiosity, with his alarm- 

 ing squint, and his utter disinclination to undergo the 

 slightest examination on nautical subjects. Jack was 

 sadly chaffed by his customers for not joining the 

 Baltic fleet in '55 ; but he bore it with wonderful com- 

 placency, and will doff his naval garb for no one. 

 He has very little humour about him generally, but 

 is one of the maddest wags in existence when he is 

 " half-seas-over," which, owing to the exhortations of 

 a teetotal friend, is said to be only of rare occur- 

 rence. " Lord Castlereagh" is also an oddity ; and 

 it is recorded of him that he had such a favourite 

 companion of his travels, in the shape of a little 

 French dog, that he has over and over again been 

 seen to cook beefsteaks for it, and dine off dry bread 

 himself. 



The profits of this strange crew are very various, 

 and the prices of cards equally so ; but on this head 

 it is hardly fair to them to say more, except that 

 Ascot is their great carnival, and Jerry has been 

 known to make as much as 2O/. clear on a Cup day. 

 The number of cards bought by the " crowded pro- 

 fession," at Doncaster, is very various. Some con- 

 trive to dispose of two dozen, while others can get 

 through fifteen dozen. This latter number is the 

 maximum on a "great day," and six dozen the 

 average. It is a saying amongst them, that "it's all 



