MISCKI.LANKA. 
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nutes remaining, and 7 he calculated on accomplishing the task 
in three quarters of an hour less than the time appointed. The 
heat was excessive, and a dreadful storm, which then burst upon 
them, rendered it almost impossible to proceed. He urged his 
horse on, until the noble animal dropped exhausted. There 
must have been foolish bets on the accomplishment of the task 
within certain shorter periods than the time allowed ; for the ani- 
mal, however tired, might have walked the distance from Mesnel- 
Esnard to llouen, one league only, in an hour and a quarter. 
The animal fell — the proprietor endeavoured to bleed him, but 
in vain ; and, rather than the horse should live in torture, he had 
him immediately destroyed. This conduct of the loser exhibits 
much good and honourable feeling; yet we cannot help lament- 
ing that so noble an animal should thus perish. 
The same horse had, in the last winter, gone from Paris to 
Chantilly and back, twenty-one leagues, in four hours and forty 
minutes. These are cruel experiments. 
The second exhibition took place in Germany. Count Sandor 
betted a considerable sum that he would drive the same pair of 
horses from Presbourg to Vienna, thirty-six and a quarter English 
miles, in three hours. 
The Count was ready at the starting-post on May 11th ; but an 
accident having happened to one of the watches, the judge could 
not give the signal, and the affair was postponed. The Count 
being compelled to be at Vienna, set off immediately in the 
carriage which had been prepared, drove his horses half way, 
and rode on horseback the remaining half. On his arrival, 
notwithstanding that the rain fell in torrents, and his horses had 
undergone some fatigue in the morning, he fixed on the 14th, 
for the coming off of the match. It rained the whole of the 12th 
and 13th, and it was the universal opinion that, over such roads, 
it was impossible to execute the task, and that the Count would 
pay the money, rather than run the risk of killing his horses. 
He, however, accepted all the bets that were offered him, and 
started. He had not over-rated the speed or the stoutness of his 
horses ; for he ran the distance in two hours and forty-two minutes, 
having eighteen minutes to spare. 
The Count drove himself — his carriage was a kind of char a 
bane , weighing about 380 pounds. He drove the first twenty- 
four miles in one hour and fifty-five minutes, and the other twelve 
and a quarter miles in forty-six minutes twenty-five seconds. His 
speed during the last five miles was so great, that many persons 
on horseback, who had come to meet him, were unable to keep 
pace with him, and were fairly distanced, although their horses 
were fresh compared with his. It was with some difficulty that 
