380 



men of those days seemed to have a sort of hydrophobian horror of 

 cold water. My opinion is that had this match been brought off near 

 the sea where salt water baths or bathing could have been indulged 

 in daily the gallant Captain would not have suffered so much. Even 

 cold fresh water and less of the hot would have been better. 



He won a very large amount over this match, for he backed himself 

 whenever he could, but necessarily the expenses were very great. He 

 had three relays of attendants of at least three each, three cooks, three 

 sets of umpires, so as to keep watch, one on and two off. To board and 

 lodge all these people and himself, let alone medical attendance and 

 innumerable other items during his six weeks' work, cost a round sum. 



Towards the close of the match so great was the attendance of 

 strangers that every bed in Newmarket, Cambridge and the neigh- 

 bouring villages was engaged. A large proportion of the aristocracy 

 of the kingdom was present on the last day, and as select an 

 assemblage has probably never attended a foot race before or since. 



On July 14 he posted to London in perfect health, and attended to 

 his usual pursuits till the 17th, when he left for Eamsgate and joined 

 the ill-fated Walcheren expedition. 



After the feat of the "Thou in a thou," Captain Allardice competed 

 in only two public matches. They were got up impromptu, without 

 previous training on his part, and he was beaten in them both. One 

 was on July 9, 1812, when he backed himself to run nine miles in 

 the hour. He ran seven miles in 49min. and only eight miles and a half 

 in the full hour. The second match came off on June 15, 18l3, when 

 he was backed for 100 guineas against an officer in the 7th Dragoon 

 Guards to run two miles. It came off in Hyde Park but Allardice was 

 beaten, much distressed, by 100 yards. 



What a sad falling off from his old form, and it seems a pity he ever 

 "toed the line" after the big match. 



In addition to being so able a pedestrian he was a first-rate shot, an 

 ardent follower of the chase, a capital whip, and could hold his own 

 with the gloves against the best pugilists of the day. So highly was he 

 thought of as a boxer that he was entrusted with the entire training 

 of Tom Cribb, the champion, for his great battle with Molyneaux. 

 Cribbwas at Ury for the seven weeks previous, weighing on arrival 

 IGit., and as he entered the ring fit to fight for a kingdom on September 

 11, 1811, it is evident his mentor was no novice in the art of pugilistic 

 training. 



Let It be clearly understood by my readers that pugilists of those 

 days were, as a class, men very superior to those we now have. 



For a heavy wager Captain Allardice is said to have once driven the 

 Scotch mail coach from London to Edinburgh without getting off the 

 box. 



Although not going in for matches, he ever after kept up his 

 walking and lived a useful country gentleman upon his property in 

 Kincardineshire. As in Ptudd, Eoss, and Osbaldeston, so we 



