626 HISTORY OF THE 



the excitement of liquor. These adventurers, be- 

 sides betting with each other, have generally some 

 connexion with one of the "regulars in the ring," 

 with whom they can lay off their bets, at the "cur- 

 rent market price." The following is said to be 

 the method by which some of these people, (many 

 of whom have seen better days) manage to get 

 themselves into the betting-ring. Taking what 

 money he can scrape together in his pockets, in 

 Bank-notes, the would-be Turfite frequents New- 

 market and other races, and makes himself ac- 

 quainted with the persons and names of such of 

 the betting men as he thinks may suit his pur- 

 pose. This done, he commences his operation on a 

 favorable occasion, by offering to make a bet with 

 a person in the ring. As may be supposed, the 

 person he addresses, knowing nothing of his man, 

 declines his offer, although otherwise willing to take 

 it, as "suiting his book." Our aspirant is however 

 prepared for this emergency, and immediately pull- 

 ing out his Bank-notes, addresses the other by his 

 name, and hands him the cash to the amount he 

 would lose should the event prove against him ; 

 taking care, at the same time, to put his card into his 

 hand, while expressing his entire confidence in him. 

 Having made this bet, our beginner's next care is 

 to unmsike it ; which he does by laying the same 

 amount off with another person ; and this he accord- 

 ingly performs in the same manner ; so that when 

 the race is over, he receives from one and pays the 

 other — as the case may be — without either losing 

 or winning. His object being to gain credit for a 

 considerable amount beyond what he possesses, he 

 suffers nothing to tempt him to make a bet in 

 earnest till his object is accomphshed, but goes on 

 making one acquaintance after another, in the 



