CONQUEROR. 219 



merit deserving mention, too many to be recorded in a mere 

 summary of events such as this. 



I mnst not, however, omit — in order to record my disappro- 

 bation of them — to mention two ten-mile matches in harness, 

 between the same horses. First, the ch, g. Prince, by Wood- 

 pecker, a trotter, and the gr. g. Hero, pedigree unknown, a 

 pacer. 



The fastest mile was done in 2.38|, the slowest in 3.12|, the 

 wdiole time in 28.08^. Ko injury occurred to either horse ; but 

 that is no justification of these long matches, — which, having 

 the probability before my eyes of being set down as an old fogy 

 and anti-progressive, I regard as both useless and cruel. 



Second, the same horses, with the same result, except that 

 Hero was distanced — what is the distance in ten miles non con- 

 stat. Fastest mile, 2.33|- ; slowest, 6.19 ; whole time, 35.18. 



On November 12th came off the crowning cruelty of the 

 American trotting course. 



An old, good, honest, well-known roadster, bred in Orange 

 County, and having a good deal of blood, was driven to death 

 for the sum of four thousand dollars^ wdiich his backers, I re- 

 gret to say, realized by their merciless barbarity. 



He was backed to do 100 miles in 9 hours, and did it. The 

 total time announced by the judges was 8.55.53. I now quote 

 from the Turf Register of the year. 



" At the conclusion of this immense performance, the horse 

 did not seem unusually distressed. He was warmly clothed — 

 and Med, as we hear — carefully nursed, and every possible at- 

 tention paid to him ; though he " came about " a little the fol- 

 lowing day, we regret to learn that he gradually sunk, and on 

 Monday breathed his last. ISTo attempt, we trust, will be made 

 to rival this performance. 'A merciful man is merciful to his 

 beast. ' " 



This passage deserves some remark. The feeling is all that 

 could be wished, although the condenmation is not sufficiently 

 strong; for, be it observed, that a word of rebuke in a journal 

 devoted to sporting, is of more weight with sporting characters, 

 as they call themselves, than a column from other sources, which 

 they either do not see, or regard as old fogy and straitlaced. 



JSText, as to the race and its results ; first, I would ask, was 



