258 Recreations of a Sportsman 



Chariot racing differs from all racing in this, 

 that it is difficult to control the horses. They 

 nearly always become excited at the start, and 

 often run away, and the charioteer is worn out 

 endeavoring to hold them. 



In 1907 the race was run at such speed that 

 one of the chariot teams ran away at the start, 

 going around the track half a mile long three 

 times before it could be stopped. When the 

 chariot came dashing around and passed the 

 wire, the great crowd saw that something was 

 wrong. Four vaqueros started after the horses, 

 but it was like chasing the wind. Again the 

 chariot came around and crossed the line. The 

 judges, directors, and others shouted to the audi- 

 ence to keep quiet, but the people seemed to 

 have lost their heads, and as the splendid team, 

 the quadriga of the Romans, tore by, they cheered 

 and roared their applause. 



It was a magnificent sight, that rushing, whirl- 

 ing chariot, that picture of the Coliseum, and 

 if ever a scene of the days of the old emperors 

 was seen in modern days, this was the replica. 

 It did not fail to have its effect on the four 

 horses, excited, crazed by the cheers and shouts. 

 No mortal man could stop them, there was no 

 place in which to turn them, and apparently the 

 only plan open was to keep them going until 

 they dropped. 



The vaqueros who had been following, unable 



