THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 69 



the course of the engine ; and the screaming whistle, 

 which was now blown repeatedly, acting on the ter- 

 rified mare more powerfully than the combination of 

 spur, whip, and voice, drove her madly forward far 

 ahead of the iron monster. What would have been 

 the issue of this strange race had it continued much 

 longer it is not difficult to surmise ; the mare's spirit 

 was good, but what in the long run can flesh and 

 blood do against the giant power of steam ? As it 

 was, she gallantly kept ahead for full five miles, 

 when just as the flying pursuer reached the Mark's 

 Tey bridge, the poor animal caught her foot against 

 a stone or part of the rail, and rolled headlong on to 

 the down-line. The engine, with a parting shriek 

 and puff, passed on ; and the mare was found, when 

 daylight appeared, nothing the worse for her race 

 and tumble, and in due time was restored to her 

 owner." 



It is not certain that a trotting speed of twenty 

 miles an hour has ever been attained, but the distance 

 has been done in six seconds over that time. Pheno- 

 menon, a mare belonging to Sir Edward Astley, when 

 twelve years old, trotted seventeen miles in fifty-six 

 minutes, and performed the same distance a month 

 afterwards in less than fifty-three minutes ; that is 

 to say, at the rate of more than twenty-one and a 



