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tain ran 110 miles in 19b, 27min.— /.e., at tlie rate of 5 miles 5fur. 53yds 

 an hour. This was considered good enough for anything ; so every 

 available bet was snapped up, and the agreed-on eight days' notice to 

 start was given to Mr. Fletcher. The Captain selected a mile on the 

 Hull road, about sixteen miles from York, and a post was set up at 

 each end for him to turn round, while lamps were placed along the 

 line to give light during the dark hours. Wisely, ground was chosen on 

 which were a few gentle slopes which would relieve the muscles. 



Precisely at midnight, November 9-10, 1801, he started on his journey, 

 weather unfavourable. His first sixteen miles were done at the rate of 

 about twelve and a half minutes to the mile. A rest of ten minutes 

 was then made for refreshment and change of clothing. After another 

 fifteen mi'es a similar halt for like purposes was made, and he 

 appeared dull from the damp night air. After sunrise, however, the 

 weather became fine and continued so for the rest of the match. 

 Fifty miles were covered in eleven hours, and the betting waa 5 to 1 on 

 him. The seventh and last halt was made at the end of the eighty- 

 fourth mile — 15 to 1 against time — and he gallantly completed the 

 ninety miles at 8.22.4 p.m. on November 10, in 20hr. 22min. 4sec., being 

 Ih. Tmin. 56sec. under his time. Thus, by sheer determination, pluck 

 and endurance, did Captain Allardice win back his previous losings 

 to Mr. Fletcher. In fact, he finished so strong and well that he could 

 have gone twenty or thirty miles further. Thousands of people, at 

 time?, accompanied him upon foot and horseback, and all traffic on the 

 road willingly made way for him. His dress was flannel shirts, trousers 

 and night-cap, lambs'-wool stockings and thick-soled leather shoes. 

 Diet — broiled fowls and mutton steaks, with old ale to drink. 



In 1803 he joined the 23rd Welsh Fusiliers. 



After the above mentioned big match he found no foeman till June, 

 1803, when he ran a mile and a half against Deaf Burke, the 

 pugilist, whom he beat easily. Time or stakes not recorded. After 

 running from London to Newmarket — about sixty-four miles — in ten 

 hours in the following month he did nothing till December. 

 He then in a quarter-mile match with Mr. J. Ward, one of the most 

 noted amateur sprinters of the day, showed the world that he was 

 possessed of speed as well as staying powers, It came off in 

 Hyde Park, and was won by the Captain m fifty-six seconds, beating 

 Ward by ten yards, after a terrific set-to up to within forty yards of the 

 finish, when Ward completely collapsed. In March, 1804, he matched 

 himself for 200 guineas to run twenty-three miles in three hours, but he 

 became ill and had to forfeit what v/ould have been a certainty bar 

 accidents. On August 16, 1804, when quartered with his regiment at 

 Kastbourne, he ran two miles in llmin. 57isec. — the fir.-t mile occupying 

 5min., and he backing himself to do the distance in 12min. The going 

 was very bad owing to heavy rains and a strong wind was against 

 him, which accounts for the bad pace of this match. 



Up to then no one had tried Allardice at a mile, but at the same 



