CHAPTER IV. 



THE NARRAGANSETT PACER. 



The origin, rise, and progress of the breed — Daniel Pearoe and his stallion 

 Rambler — Imp. Rambler — Narragansett blood in the Morgans — Lit- 

 tle Neck Beach, R I. — Mary Langworthy Southcote. 



THE origin, rise, progress, and we might almost say exter- 

 mination of this once most noted family of the equine 

 race in this country seems to be somewhat shrouded in mys- 

 tery by the horse oracles of the present day; yet to me, its 

 history having been verbally handed down from father to son 

 as an heirloom of our family for the past 175 years or so, is 

 very clear. Its origin is as follows : 



In the reign of Queen Anne, A. D. 1707, a young man of 

 the county of York, East Riding District, England, by the 

 name of Daniel Pearce — the son of a well-to-do tenant farmer 

 — a natural born horseman and the possessor in his own right 

 of a beautiful young chestnut stallion, a grandson of the great 

 imported Arabian horse, the "Darley Arabian," then owned 

 and kept by the Lord of the Manor — Lord Darley — (very 

 foolishly it was thought) fell desperately in love with a charm- 

 ing young lady by the name of Mary Langworthy Southcote, 

 who belonged to an old and wealthy family living in Hull. 



As a matter of course in that age of aristocracy, such a 

 thing as a tenant farmer's son (however worthy he might be) 

 to think of marrying into an old family like the Southcotes, 

 was preposterous. Consequently this young man, Daniel 

 Pearce, in order to become weaned from his Mary, decided to 

 bid England a long farewell, giving up the comforts of home, 

 the endearing scenes of childhood, the companions of youth, 

 and all — no, he could not give up his beautiful colt, his own 

 "Rambler." He would leave merry England and all else, save 



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