39 



SULTAN. 



Sultan began life in a very humble capacity, and his first 

 public appearance was in an Irish drove at Lincoln Horse 

 Fair. Even there his merits seemed to be unappreciated, 

 and he stood amid the gradually diminishing group of* his 

 companions from Monday till Wednesday before he found a 

 customer. Sultan was then three years old, a well-bred but 

 not particularly handsome gelding, jet black in colour, with 

 good limbs, back and loins, a well shaped head, and so on. 

 Yet there was something that did not take the eye, an inex- 

 plicable something ; and though several gentlemen had him 

 out and found him a very nice mover, particularly in his trot, 

 he going well from the shoulders, without that abominable 

 extravagant knee action, no one could be induced to give the 

 £80 asked for him. Nor would they give £70, nor even £60, 

 when the day was far spent, and the night was at hand. On 

 Tuesday the black colt opened at £60, and closed at £40. 

 How was it that those undeniable points failed to catch the 

 eye of some of those judges of horseflesh who came to look at 

 him ? On Wednesday there was but few of his companions 

 left, and he looked a king among them. Several young 

 farmers now cast their eyes in. his direction, but they opined 

 that there was something wrong somewhere ; they had seen the 

 celebrated Mr. Black looking at him on Monday, and he had 

 soon done with him ; several hunting farmers and dealers had 

 had him out, but they would not even bid for him, nor would 

 Mr. Breeze, the steeplechase rider. However, about noon on 

 Wednesday the black colt met his fate. 



