CRUEL MATCH. I79 



And to conclnde, Lady Suffolk beat Independence, having 

 scarcely run a winner before in the whole season, with great ease 

 the horse being amiss, in 5.37. 



This season was disgraced by another cruelly long match, 

 Black Joke being matched to do fifty miles in four hours. The 

 feat was accomplished with three minutes to spare ; but the 

 animal was driven all but blind, and it was was with the greatest 

 difficulty that his eyes were saved. 



In London, an English mare, Lady Hampton, did seventeen 

 miles in one minute twenty-three seconds within the hour; said 

 to be the best time ever made in that country, though 1 believe 

 erroneously ; for if I do not err, the trotting stallion, Bellfounder, 

 subsequently imported to America, had done seventeen miles 

 and a half within the hour, previous to 1831. 



On the whole, the peculiarity of this year was the want of 

 success of Lady Sufiblk, which was attributed universally to 

 the obstinacy and inefliciency of her owner ; and the distin- 

 guished performances of Kipton, who was decidedly the cham- 

 pion of the season, beside haviug made the best recorded time 

 in harness, and the best time in wagons, under an extraordinary 

 weight. This and 1843 were his best years, and he never ex- 

 celled, nor indeed ever again quite equalled their promise. 



In the year 1843, the season opened so early as February 

 27th and 28th, with trotting on the ice at Missisquoi Bay, in 

 Canada East, not far from the frontiers of Vermont, which has 

 continued to be a distinguished trotting region, and has sent 

 some excellent animals to New York. On this occasion, al- 

 though the sport was said to be very good, no time was kept, 

 so that it is useless to enter into details. 



Early in this season, also, there were trotting and pacing 

 matches at 'Ne\Y Orleans, and on the Kendall Course at Balti- 

 more, but nothing occurred worthy of being recorded, nor any 

 time, to be compared with that of the Northern trotting courses. 



At Quebec, however, a French horse. Passe Carremi, who, 

 under a difterent name, in after days, earned great distinction, 

 made his debut, doing 2.34 on ice. Of him we shall see more 

 anon. 



In the mean time, on the Beacon Course, May 15, came off 

 the first great event of the season, being the first of three 



