FOEEST AND STREAM. 



23 



AT TATTERSALL'S. 



T Tattersall's ! What romance — what mysteries — what 



iniquities cluster round these words — " At Tattersall's ! " 



— in the imagination of millions of men and women ! It- 

 is the Mecca of the Turf, and it is to sportsmen all over the 

 world what the House, of Commons is to politicians — what 

 the Stock Exchange is to men of business — what Printing 

 House Square is to newspaper men — what Paternoster 

 Row is to publishers — what Westminster Hall is to lawyers 

 — what Westminster Abbey is to English Churchmen. It 

 is a classic spot, a spot over which the imagination of sports- 

 men broods, like the imagination of a devotee over the as- 

 sociations of a favorite shrine. Originally, Tattersall's was 

 a mere stable yard and horse repository, distinguished from 

 the general run of establishments of this kind only by the 

 larger attendence of sportsmen. The Subscription Room 

 is comparatively the creation of .yesterday ; and there must 

 be scores of men yet on the Turf — men who have been 

 ruined by their speculations on two-year olds, and men who, 

 begining as .stable-boys, now keep their banking accounts 

 with a standing balance of £10,000— who, when they first 

 consulted "Old Tattersall" about joining the Room or 

 making a book, were bluntly told to keep their money in 

 their pockets ; for it is an odd illustration of the caprice of 

 circumstances that the founder of the yard, the man under 

 whose management the Corner attained its highest prestige 

 and became the exchange of Turf -men, had what many of 

 his friends thought an insane horror of a betting book, and 

 did all that a man in his position could do to check gam- 

 bling by friendly hints and suggestions to youths fresh from 

 college and fired with the idea of making a splendid coup at 

 the expense of the Ring. 



Fourteen years have now elapsed since Old Tattersall, af- 

 ter a reign of fifty years, handed over his hammer to young- 

 er if not more vigorous hands, and in those fourteen years 

 the science of betting has grown and developed more than 

 it had probably done in the previous half -century. What 

 Old Tatterself would have said if called upon, as his de- 

 scendents have been, to knock down a two-year old with 

 £2,500 of forfeits on his head, I cannot say • but that fact 

 sufficiently illustrates the daring and adventurous spirit of 

 speculation which marks the Turf -men who now meet un- 

 der the shadow of his rostrum to stake an estate on the throw 

 of a " dice on four legs." Tattersall's yard has grown 

 with the growth of horse-racing : and it now forms the cen- 

 tral institution of the Turf, is the focus of half the gam- 

 bling that is carried on within the four seas, gives the cue 

 to every bookmaker, regulates by its quotations the odds on 

 every race-course, and through the system of agency that 

 has sprung up within the past few years is open to every 

 clerk or draper's assistant or stable-boy who wishes to stake 

 half-a-sovereign. In the course of a couple of hours in the 

 afternoon one hundred thousand pounds have been known 

 to be invested on five or six horses. This, in fact, is now a 

 regular branch of commission business, and the account 

 of what was clone at Tattersall's yesterday appears in all the 

 newspapers as regularly as the City Article and Court Cir- 

 cular. — Gentlemen' 's Magazine. 



SPORTING ENGLISH STATESMEN. 



THIS breed of English statesmen began with the Lord 

 Treasurer Godolphin, and till to-day we were beginning 

 to think that it ended with Lord Palmerston, all the men of 

 political mark on the books of Tattersall's breaking up their 

 studs and relinquishing the Turf within a year or two after 

 the disappearance of " Old Pam. " The last of these sport- 

 ing Secretaries of State was General Peal, and General Peal 

 has now left the Turf as well as the House of Commons 

 for five or six years ; and, with the exception of Lord Hart- 

 ington, the front ranks of neither the Conservative nor the 

 Ministerial Benches in the House of Commons now contain 

 a single face which is familiar to the Ring. Mr. Disraeli is 

 perhaps a sportsman at heart, and the best description of the 

 Derby that has ever been written — the classical and histor- 

 ical description — is that from his pen. But Mr. Disraeli is 

 only a sportsman as most of the rest of us are sportsmen, 

 in his love of sport, of horses, and of the genial and healthy 

 excitement of the Turf. And Mr. Gladstone is not even 

 this. If the Premier can distinguish a race-horse from a 

 hunter, or a hunter from a cob, it is all that he can do ; and 

 what the Premier is, the rest of the Ministry are and must 

 be, I take it, now, if they are to play their parts well in 

 Parliament and in the work of administration at Whitehall. 

 The Marquis of Hartington may perhaps be able to spare 

 time from the work of governing Ireland to look after a 

 stud of horses at Newmarket, and to make a book upon the 

 Derby, or the St. Ledger ; but if the experience of Lord 

 Derby, Lord Palmerston, or even of Lord George Bentinck, 

 is worth anything, the man who enters into politics as a 

 science — enters into it, that is, heart and soul — must think 

 of no books but blue books, and of no horses but his hunt- 

 ers and his park cob. — Gentlemen's Magazine 



DUBLIN IN THE LAST CENTURY. 



PADDY'S pet accident in those days was to fall into the 

 Liffey. One might almost suppose that he looked 

 upon this picturesque but evil smelling river as the Hindoo 

 looks on the sacred Ganges, and believed that everlasting 

 happiness was to be procured by immolating himself in its 

 waters. Does a trooper or a dragoon go down to the river 

 to water his horse ? He falls in and Is drowned. Does a 

 merchant go to the qua} r to see a brig unloaded ? Does a 

 sailor go down to Ringsend in a boat ? Does a girl take 

 some clothes to the riverside to wash '? "Drowned ! 

 Drowned !" Shakespeare's exclamation Avas never so appli- 

 cable. And if anybody falls in, an impetuous but unreflecting 

 bystander generally jumps in after him or her, apparently 

 forgetting- that he 'himself is not much of a swimmer, and 

 both are, as a matter of course, drowned forthwith. In one- 

 case a good natured gentleman, seeing a girl lamenting that 

 the tide had carried away some sheets she was washing, goes 

 in after them, but having over estimated his powers of nata- 

 tion tile man goes the way of the clothes, and is lost for- 

 ever. Another gentleman's hat is blown off (no light matter 

 in the days of gold laced head coverings), in he goes after 

 it into the fatal waters, and soon exchanges Liffey for Styx. 

 Persons of "disordered minds" (of whom there would seem 

 to he quite a little army going about), are very fond of try- 

 ing to cool their heated brains in these "waters of Eblana." 

 But the vast majority of these deaths from drowning are 



dismissed with the contemptuous pleonasm _ that the de- 

 ceased was "intoxicated with liquor" at the time. By the 

 way, there is a powerful aroma of whisky about this period 

 in the annals of the Green Isle. Two successive viceroys, 

 my Lords Northington and Rutland, are freely spoken of 

 as notorious sots ; indeed, Rutland is well known to have 

 drunk himself to death while still a comparatively young 

 man. And so on, down through every class. Lord North- 

 ington gives a fancy ball at the Castle. He being very un- 

 popular at the time, the people, with rare temperance, re- 

 fuse to drink the barrels of ale set running for them by the 

 lord lieutenant, which are left to the sokliers, so that the 

 whole guard, horse and foot, were, as "our own correspon- 

 dent" curtly observes, "when we left, helplessly drunk." 

 A favorite mode of shuffling off this mortal coil is to drink 

 an enormous quantity (some times specified as pints, five half 

 pints, &c.) of spirits, the not unnatural consequence of 

 which is very speedy death. 



If the above sketch should appear exaggerated, I am pre- 

 pared to assert that among the innumerable papers I have 

 looked over there is a death by drowning, a murder and a 

 fatal accident for every clay in the year. — All the Year 

 Round. 



FAMOUS BRITISH REGIMENTS. 



THERE is an old military tradition that the Fifth won 

 from the French the feathers which they now wear, 

 and that they dyed their tops red by dipping * them in the 

 blood of their enemies. The true story, hoAvever, is tins. 

 The "Old Bold Fifth" had the distinction of wearing a white 

 plume in the cap, when the similar ornament in the other 

 regiments of the service was a red and white tuft. This 

 honorable distinction was given to them for their conduct 

 at Morne Fortune, in the island of St. Lucia, where they 

 took from the French grenadiers white feathers in sufficient 

 numbers to equip every man in the regiment. This dis- 

 tinction w r as subsequently confirmed by authority, and con- 

 tinued as a distinctive decoration until* 1829, when a general 

 order caused the white feather to be worn by the whole 

 army. By a letter from Sir H. Taylor, adjutant general, 

 dated July, 1829, the commander-in-chief, referring to the 

 newly issued order, by which the special distinction was 

 lost to the regiment, states that, "As an equivalent, the 

 Fifth shall in future wear a feather half red and half white, 

 the red uppermost, instead of the plain white feather worn 

 by the rest of the army, as a peculiar mark of honor." In 

 1774 they went to put down the so-called rebellion in Amer- 

 ica. They fired the first shot of the unfortung.e w T ar at 

 Lexington, where they came on some armed American mili- 

 tiamen, and were nearly surrounded at Concord, where they 

 had destro3 r ed some military stores collected there by the 

 so-called rebels. In the attack on Bunker's Hill, near Bos- 

 ton, the Fifth had hot work for a Jnne day. With three 

 days' provisions on their back, cartouch box," &c, weighing 

 one hundred and twentj^-five pounds, they toiled through 

 grass reaching to their knees, between walls and fences, in 

 the face of a hot fire, and eventually got possession of the 

 enemy's works on the hill near Charlestown. The Fifth 

 also joined in the reduction of Long Island, the battle of 

 White Plains, the capture of Fort Washington, the reduc- 

 tion of New Jersey and a fight at Germantown, where they 

 rescued the Fortieth regiment from an American brigade. — 

 AM the Year Round. 



HOW THE CONTINENTALS STOPPED 

 THE PLAY. 



PERHAPS no regiment in the British service has had its 

 deeds better recorded than the Fifty-second — probably 

 no regiment has won more glory. "A regiment never sur- 

 passed in arms since arms were first borne by men," Napier 

 said of it, after the gallant fight at Nivelle. The sentence 

 rings in one's ears like the bugle sounding "the advance," 

 and that it is fully justified the emblazoned words on the 

 regimental colors of the Fifty-second (Hindoostan, Vimiera, 

 Busaco, Fuentes d'Onoro, Cuidad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Sala- 

 manca, Yittoria, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse, Waterloo and 

 Delhi) pretty amply prove. The regiment first distinguished 

 itself in the American war for independence, 1775. While, 

 investing Boston an odd event occurred, which is thus de- 

 scribed by Lieutenant Martin Hunter in his amusing regi- 

 mental journal : 



"During the Winter," he says, "plays were acted at Bos- 

 ton twice a week by the officers and some ladies. A farce, 

 called the 'Blockade of Boston,' written by General Bur- 

 goyne, was acted. The enemy knew the night it was to be. 

 performed, and made an attack on the mill at Charlestown 

 at the very hour the farce began •, they fired some shots, 

 and surprised and carried off a sergeant's guard. We im- 

 mediately turned out and manned the works, ;ad a shot 

 being fired by one of our advanced seu:,kr, i.ring com- 

 menced at the redoubt, and could not be stopped for some 

 time. An orderly sergeant, standing outside the playhouse 

 door, who heard the firing, immediately running into the 

 playhouse, got upon the stage, crying out, 'Turn out ! turn 

 out ! They're hard at it, hammer and tongs !' The whole 

 audience, supposing the sergeant was acting a part in the 

 farce, loudly applauded, and there was such a. noise he 

 could not for some time make himself heard. When the 

 applause was over he again cried out, 'What the devil are 

 ye all about ? If ye won't believe me, be Jabers, you need 

 only go to the door, and then ye'il hear and see both.' If 

 the enemy intended to stop the farce they certainly suc- 

 ceeded, as the officers immediately left the playhouse and 

 joined their regiments." 



The Fifty-second fought at the battles of Brooklyn and 

 White Plains, the reduction of Fort Washington, the tak- 

 ing of Rhode Island and the battle of Brandywine In 

 1777 they helped to surprise a force of fifteen hundred 

 Americans under General Wayne in a wood, when three 

 hundred of the enemy were bayoneted at their bivouacs. 



The Fifty-second lost four captains in the American war ; 

 and on the death of Captain Powell in New Jersey, the 

 drummer of his company was heard to exclaim : "Well, I 

 wonder who they'll get to accept onr grenadier companv 

 now ; I'll be hung if I would take it." — AU the Year Round. 



* 



Andrew H.— The best mixture for preserving the skins of animals is 

 one in the proportion of six pounds of alum, and three of salt. Dissolve 

 both in about a gallon of warm water. Use when cool. Place skins not 

 too tightly packed, in a barrel or keg, aud pour in mixture. Skins 

 without injury to hair may be kept any length of time in this way, and al 

 in good order at any time to stuff. Best handy book we know of for this 

 kind of lore, is Edwin Ward's Knapsack Manual. 



Victor S. P. The question of drift, depends on the charactar of the 

 rifle and nature of twist, so that no positive data can be given. At a dis- 

 tance of 1,200 yards, its maximum is about eighteen feet. Your experi- 

 ments would be of great interest. 



T. U., Jr.— Body's performance in walking is stated to have been one 

 mile in six minutes forty-two seconds, and Westhall's one-half mile in 

 three minutes ten seconds. We can find you an amateur who can walk • 

 at any time, his mile in seven minutes, fifteen seconds. 



L. S. G.— "Nepigon" is correct orthography. It is so spelt on Ad- 

 miralty charts and Government maps. The Indians spell it Nipigo, and 

 pronounce it JVeepigo, with a French "e" sound. 



S. H. B.— We should be glad to have a specimen of the fish for exam- 

 ination, and think we can class it. Pack it in rough dry salt. 



Old Hand.— From the description you give, we think you are in error. 

 The turkey is found in Honduras, and its name is the MeleagrU ocettata. 

 Its plumage is more brilliant than that of our wild turkey, and its size 

 smaller. Anything you may write about that section will be interest- 

 ing. 



A. B.— An Englishman and his game-keeper will hunt with six dogs, 

 and sometimes in the afternoon, supplement it with a fourth couple, hav- 

 ing also a retriever. 



J. O. B.— We know of a St. Bernard dog, here in New York, bought of 

 the Monks at the Hospice for 800 francs. He cost, Ave think, pretty 

 nearly $300, when landed. The animal is good natured but not socia- 

 ble. 



Horace.— The sisters of the Irish setters yon speak of, undoubtedly the 

 best dogs of this kind, were sold for eighty guineas. The dog man you 

 mention is not reliable, we are sorry to say. It is always risky work im- 

 porting a dog. Will place you in communication with the person, you 

 inquire about. 



H. V. & Co. — The tin can of preserved fish is excellent, quite as good 

 as any imported. As an alimentary substance it would be a success. We 

 take great pleasure in fostering any enterprise of this character. See 

 our first number. 



Inoratiits.— We have never heard of the grayling (Thymollus 8i <ji li- 

 fer) being caught south of Michigan. Send accurate drawing, and if 

 possible the ftsh itself in rough salt. 



Rabey,— We have found a box of tar ointment, carried with us in- 

 valuable for dogs' feet, especially in chicken shooting. Wash first the 

 dog* feet in lukewarm water, adding a little salt to it. If he shows a de- 

 cided tenderness, stop hunting him for two or three days. 



S. O., Utica. — We think you have taken the name of the gun maker in 

 vain. Their reputation is excellent, and the work they turn out admira- 

 ble. We used the same make of gun last year, and please gracious, if 

 answering all the questions put to us, does not prevent it, will use it 

 again this fall. 



With regard to the new Mauser rifle, a German paper 

 says: — "It cannot be questioned that Ave have a Aveapon ex- 

 cellent in all respects; in mode of construction, solidity of 

 mechanism, tension of trajectory, security for the marks- 

 man, rapidit3 r of fire, lightness of weight, certainty of dis- 

 charge, and general convenience in handling. 



— A Mr. E. de Borssiere, has some 3000 acres of land in 

 Kansas, which he intends to devote to silk worm culture. 



— A. Virginia lady, gathering berries, w r as lately struck 

 twice in the breast by a rattlesnake, but thanks to toilet ar- 

 tifices escaped harm. 



— Colonel Noah Orr, of Marysville, Ohio, aged twenty- 

 seven, seven feet eleven inches high, measures seventy 

 inches around the chest, and brings down the scales at 670 

 pounds. 



— At last they have a copyright law in Turkey, and we 

 congratulate the literary world on the fact. There are so 

 many people who have had their works pirated in Turkey. 

 Now they -will have a chance for readers. 



French sugar makers get one pound of sugar from sixty- 

 six pounds of beets, Avhile in Louisiania from the infinitely 

 richer cane, about one pound of sugar from every forty- 

 five pounds of cane is. about the average. 



— A school of large Avhales, some of them seventy feet 

 long, were off Say brook last week; very few humps or fin- 

 backs among them. The appearadce of so many large 

 whales together is a novelty. 



— The trotting stallion Sentinel was found dead in the 

 stable at Ash Grove Farm, Lexington, Ky., last week. His 

 owner, Edwin Thorne, of New York, recently refused 

 £30,000 for him. 



— "Uncle" John Bullock of Bristol is only 104 years old. 

 Uncle John endured a severe attack of pneumonia in June, 

 and when he was convalescent he called his boys about him 

 and remarked: "That was a severe attack. If I'd been 

 an old man, I guess it would "have fetched me." 



— Wolves in immense numbers have appeared for the first 

 time for many years among the settlements near the Strait 

 of Belle Isle. on the Labrador coast, and entirely broken up 

 one settlement. On the night of July 1st they attacked a 

 a party, killing and devouring three men and one woman. 



— Two amusing answers of the son of a Western Sena- 

 tor at West Point are recorded. On being asked into how 

 many pieces a discharged spherical shot will burst, he re- 

 plied, " Into two, at least, sir, I should think," and on be- 

 ing asked what were the uses of the vent in a piece of ord- 

 inance, replied, after mature consideration, that "it showed 

 the upper side of the gnn, and it Avas useful to spike it 

 with. 



" Hairy Terrapin From Chtna. — In the * Travels of a 

 Pioneer of Commerce in Pigtail and Petticoats,' by T. T. 

 Cooper (London, Murray, 1871,) there is a plate of one of 

 these hairy tortoises from the lakes of Ha-su, above Han- 

 kow. These curious little animals were about two inches 

 long, and covered on the back with a long confeivoid 

 growth resembling green hair. The tortoise being a sacred, 

 emblem in China, the Chinese make pets of the hairv tor- 

 toise, which they keep in basins of water during the summer 

 months and bury in sand during the winter. A small lake in 

 the province of Kiang-su is famous for these so-called hairy 

 tortoises, and many persons earn a livelihood by the sale of 

 these curious little pets.' The figure in Mr. Cooper's book 

 looks like an oval door-mat, with a tortoise's head sticking 

 out of one end." 



