104 



The Jockies mounted, and took their places. The word was given. 

 The horses, as if endued with intelligence, and an instinctive desire for 

 fair play, dashed forward a.t the very same instant. It was a beautiful 

 and exciting sight to see those fleet and impetuous horses, giving them- 

 selves up to the excitement of the occasion with a sort of personal relish, 

 carried away by their own ardor. Roused of their own free will and 

 accord, into a wild and intoxicating gallop, as if they were really of 

 themselves taking all the pleasure in the race, they were affording to 

 the spectators. Like roses on the same stem shaking in the wind, they 

 hung together with unabating energy, and at a rattling pace. One, 

 moving with a strong and steady stride, whilst the other two, light and 

 agile as fawns, bounded along without an apparent effort. It was im- 

 possible to predict what the result would be. As they passed under the 

 string and commenced the last mile, their riders leaned a little forward, 

 and gathered up their reins with a closer and stronger grasp — not to 

 check the speed of their coursers, but evidently to obtain additional 

 power to brace and steady the good animals they strode, knowing the 

 great struggle was soon to coaie, and that they would have to hurry 

 them on still faster and faster if possible, by the aid of whip and spur 1 

 All three Jockies seemed now, by a simultaneous impulse, to bury their 

 spurs at the same moment in their horses flanks. Thus goaded, the 

 excited animals darted forward with a more furious speed — a magnifi- 

 cent struggle commenced — they flew along the back stretch, like swal- 

 lows on the wing, past the gates ; then, in as little time as it takes us to 

 indite it, rushed round into the straight run home, like arrows, shot 



" From some hunter's strong, unerring bow," 



flying so straight, and true to the mark, and with such velocity, as to be 

 almost in their rapid flight, for a time as uudistinguishable in form and 

 color, as the viewless spirits of the air through which they were passing, 

 and with which, it took no great sti'ctch of a poet's fancy to imagine, 

 they were joyfully gambolling. A deep and strange silence brooded 

 over the crowd. Every eye was intently fixed upon the competitors, as 

 with flanks soioking, eyes dilated, nostrils heaving, with sinews of steel 

 they reached the winning chair. Anxiety seemed to have deprived the 

 spectators of their breath, until the goal was past, and the victory won. 

 Then a long shout, or rather a loud murmur of admiration, escaped from 

 the lips of all those, whose hearts, a moment before, were too full for 

 words ; and who, even then, when the race was over, from witnessing 

 the changes and doubtful vicissitudes of this truly beautiful contest, were 

 a little bewildered, beside themselves with delight — a sort of cloud hover- 



