262 TALES OF THE TURK. 



courses. But Germany and Austria are the leaders of 

 the trotting game in Europe ; that is, the present interest 

 is greater there and is growing rapidly. Austria has been 

 the most extensive buyer of American horses, in fact, 

 has purchased many of the best campaigners, and conse- 

 sequently owns the fastest and best trotting race horses 

 in Europe. Australia has trotting tracks, and trotting 

 sport ranks high there, although as yet not equal to that 

 of the thoroughbred running sport. Even Japan has got 

 the fever, that government having purchased in Califor- 

 nia specimens for breeding purposes. 



What is the limit of speed to be obtained by a trotting 

 horse? Among the first authenticated records three 

 minutes was considered very fast for a trotter; later the 

 2 40 rate prevailed, and although there were some real 

 phenomenons for their day that could do 2 130 or close 

 to it, the 2 140 lasted longer perhaps than any other given 

 class. Then came the 2 130 line, and there were but com- 

 paratively few that had beaten that mark, when one day 

 the little bob-tailed Flora Temple electrified the nation 

 by stepping a fraction of a second better than 2 :2c 

 There was a great time in America when the feat was 

 made public. Bands played, cannons fired and fireworks 

 lit up the heavens in almost every hamlet in the country. 

 Five years prior to this performance the Ohio bred mare 

 Pocahontas paced a mile to wagon in a race in 2:173/2. 

 In 1867 the white-legged, steel-trap-gaited Dexter trot- 

 ted in 2:1734. Then records commenced being reduced 

 so rapidly it was scarcely possible to keep track of 

 them. Goldsmith Maid, 2:14, Rarus, 2:13^4, Maud S., 

 2:08 24 flashed with meteoric brilliancy across the trot- 

 ting sky. Then came the pneumatic tired sulky, since 

 which time a lightning calculator can scarcely keep tabs 



