ever escaped the knocker were imported. Advantage was taken of 

 the ignorance of some farmers of the true qualities of Thorough- 

 breds, meaning that small heads, pointed ears and peacoeky car- 

 riage were by preference the points of a " blood horse, ' ' the specu- 

 lators consequently delivered such specimens with an utter disre- 

 gard of bone and conformation. From the Racing Calendar of 

 1885 we find that from 1870 up to 1885 several hundred animals of 

 this class found their way of destruction to many an inland stud of 

 good formation stock. ' ' The English blood stock sale returns show 

 that the majority of these imported and publicly sold c^d not rea- 

 lize more than 25 guineas — the range as a rule being from 3-25 

 guineas. An instance is on record of a horse purchased at public 

 auction (Tattersall's) in England for five guineas, and sold at the 

 Cape for 500 pounds sterling."** 



Independent, however, of the speculator type of Thoroughbred, 

 several good horses were imported and those deserving special at- 

 tention were : Belladrum, Champagne Charlie, Buxton, Erl Konig, 

 Moorf oot. Elf King, Sir Marmaduke, Plunger, Student, Catalpa, 

 St. Augustine, Sportsman, Fire King and Wackum. 



Out of this number of imported thoroughbreds some ninety 

 judged by their capabilities, conformation, pedigree and progeny 

 deserve special recognition. Most of them were sold to the farmers 

 at an average price of 400 pounds and several stood at stud at the 

 government farms.'"' 



With these data of importations we have come up to the thresh- 

 old of modern times. By the importation of the above mentioned 

 "blood weeds" and their subsequent deteriorating effects on the 

 original stock the lucrative trade in remounts with India was for- 

 feited and destroyed. With the upcoming of the fast developing 

 wool, mohair and ostrich feather industries, the gold and diamond 

 mines, the chapter in the history of successful horse breeding in 

 South Africa comes to a close. The palmy days of the middle of 

 the last century have set without the dawn of a bright to-morrow. 

 A great national loss that is increasing, has up to the present not 

 been remedied although there is nothing except perhaps more intel- 



(48) Grey Eattray Agricultural Journal of the Cape of Good Hope, Vol. VIII. 



(49) D. Hutcheon M. B. C. V. S. Agricultural Journal of the Cape of Good 



Bope. Vol. VI. 



These journals were mainly consulted for information on the above men- 

 tioned importations Vol. I— XXXIV. (1888-1910.) 



25 



