234 HORSE-RACING IN ENGLAND 



have considered ' parum viatici ad coelum.' The 

 ' Leviathan ' Davis is asserted by some authorities 

 to have left ^150,000, but by others a modest 

 ^50,000 only. Yet surely that was pretty well 

 for one who had been a journeyman carpenter. 

 Then there was a Mr. Swindell or Swindells (a 

 most unfortunate name, it must be allowed, under 

 the circumstances, though no imputation rests 

 upon his memory, apparently), who is credited 

 with a personalty of ^146,000. To these might 

 be added a score more, though they might not 

 include the celebrated John Jackson, or 'Jock o' 

 Fairfield,' who is understood to have been worth 

 less than had been supposed, and whose property 

 of Fairfield was purchased, as already mentioned, 

 by Mr. R. C. Vyner. Among the 'pencillers ' (as 

 the ' bookies ' are also called) of to-day, whose 

 * nod ' is good for thousands of pounds, Mr. R. H. 

 Fry is considered to hold the foremost place, and 

 he is the champion of ' registration of book- 

 makers,' but he is strongly opposed by ' imported ' 

 Mr. Joseph Thompson, a leading Australian 

 bookmaker, who has had experience of the 

 practice in Melbourne, New South Wales, 



