518 A SHORT HISTORY OF THE 



if not a rum 'un to look at, at all events a d — 1 to go, ere he be 

 forced to resign his championship." 



The clever Englishman is too enthusiastic in his estimate of 

 Tacony. He was indeed a good horse, but capable judges of their 

 respective merits esteem Mac the better of the two. The latter's 

 day was indeed a short one, but his triumphs were neither few nor 

 far between, and were achieved over the most famous trotters of 

 that day. Flora Temple alone excepted. Hiram WoodruiF in his 

 " Trotting Horse of America" says, " They were very close together 

 when in condition, but Mac had a little the best of the roan, in my 

 judgment, until he was injured by over-driving and got ' the 

 thumps.' " 



One of the stoutest and best branches of the trotting family is 

 the Bashaw, which takes its name from Grand Bashaw, who was 

 imported from Tripoli in 1820, and stood in Bucks county, near 

 Philadelphia. His son. Young Bashaw, out of Fancy, a daughter 

 of old Messenger, is the real founder of the family which can boast 

 of Andrew Jackson, and his sons, Kemble Jackson and Long Island 

 Black Hawk, Lantern, Awful, John H., Cozette, Henry Clay, 

 George M. Patchen, and Hopeful. Of these, Kemble Jackson was 

 a famous trotter, and had he lived would undoubtedly have taken 

 high rank as a long-distance trotter. He was a chestnut stallion, 

 with a white hind foot and very game. He commenced his career 

 on the Centreville Course December 12, 1850, where he was de- 

 feated by Washington in straight heats over a heavy track. The 

 next year, in April, he beat the Nelson colt in a three-mile race, 

 but in the fall was defeated by Black Harry, three-mile heats, to 

 wagon. In 1852 he trotted but one race, again three-mile heats, 

 and was defeated by O'ljlcnis. In 1853 he was again defeated, 

 and this time by Mountain IMaid. In all these races his defeats 

 were caused by his habit of tlirowing down his head between his 

 knees, and breaking when he apparently had the race at his 

 mercy, so Hiram Woodruff, who now took him in hand, invented 

 the well-known Kemble Jackson rein to cure him of this habit. 

 On the 1st of June, at the Union Course, he was matched to 

 trot three-mile heats to wagon, wagon and driver to weigh 395 

 pounds, against O'Blcnis, Boston Girl, Pet, lola, and Honest 

 John. This race attracted great attention, and there was an 

 immense attendance of people to witness it. The contest was 

 mainly between the popular favorites, Kemble Jackson and 

 O'Blcnis. The latter was by Abdallah, from whom he inherited 

 all the fine characteristics of the Messenger stock. All the horses 

 came on the ground in good condition, and were well started for 

 the first trial. Kemble Jackson and O'Blenis immediately drew 

 ahead of the others, — Kemble Jackson on the lead, which he 



