124 THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 



in 1808 ; and the truth no doubt was, that Paul Pry wa? 

 either by one of Messenger's sons or out of one of his 

 daughters. This gray gelding belonging to Mr. McLeod 

 was matched about this time for $250 a side to trot sixteen- 

 miles within the hour, and then $250 more a side for every 

 quarter of a mile from sixteen up to seventeen miles and 

 three-quarters. Thus the whole amount at stake was 

 $2,000 a side. Paul Pry was trained for this performance 

 on the Harlem-park Course, under the management of Mr. 

 William Niblo. I gave him his work under saddle. He 

 had it all that way of going, for he pulled so hard in har- 

 ness as to make any work that way unadvisable. The 

 training lasted from seven weeks to two months ; and, after 

 having got him into shape, we felt confident that he would 

 win all the money up. His even rate and staying qualities 

 were what we depended upon ; for Paul Pry was at no time 

 a horse of brushing speed, and for this match he had been 

 trained to get the distance into him, rather than develop 

 his speed. He could not go better than 2.45 or 2.46 to a 

 mile ; but, what he could do, he could keep on doing for a 

 long time when up to the mark in condition. 



The trot came off on the Union Course on the 8th of 

 November. I rode the horse, and rode him all the way. 

 He won it easily. At the end of the seventeen miles and 

 three-quarters I jogged him another quarter, making 

 eighteen miles; and he had a minute and some five or six 

 seconds to spare out of his hour. I am persuaded that I 

 could liave ridden twenty miles within the hour if it had 

 been needed. At the end of his fourteenth mile, up to 

 which the horse had been going very easily and evenly, and 

 not pulling at all, a gentleman struck in to keep me com- 

 pany. But Paul Pry was immediately on his mettle ; and I 

 was compelled to beckon the gentleman to keep back when 

 he was at least one hundred and fifty yards behind me. 

 Seeing that he finished his eighteen mUes fresh, and that 

 at the end of the fourteenth he would not let another como 



