THE BARBARY HORSE. Extracted from a paper respecting the Empire of Morocco, contained in the recently published" Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London."

"THE pride of the Moor is his horse, and often, indeed, it is an animal of great beauty; has more stuff in him than the Andalusian jennet, probably owing to finer pasturage; his action and shape also differ; he does not raise his feet so high, and advances more; neither does he pace, but his usual step is a long walk; nor slip in his quarters as the Spanish horse; and is sure footed even when galloping over rough ground, as we often proved, hunting both wild boar and gazelles. The horses usually stand from fourteen to fifteen hands high, of every colour; the most beautiful we remarked were chestnut and black, though the latter not common; flowing mane and tails, which they never dock, but when young shave the tail, giving it an absurd appearance; we measured the mane of a chestnut horse two feet and a half long-the tail sweeping the ground; they seldom begin to ride them till four years old, nor do they ride the mares. In the interior of the country, a good horse may sometimes be bought for one hundred Spanish dollars (twenty guineas), though with difficulty, and cannot be exported without an order from the emperor. On a journey the Barbary horse starts unfed, and without water; at the end of it, is piqueted, unbridled, never unsaddled; given as much water as he can drink, then barley, and broken straw thrown down on the ground

TO

THIS great undertaking of "the Squires," as he is called, par excellence, will, we understand, be performed, or at least attempted, on the Saturday in the Houghton Meeting should there be no racing on that day, otherwise on the Monday following. Some part of Newmarket Heath (most likely the round course) will be selected for the purpose, but this was not settled up to the close of the last meeting.

Of the practability of the undertaking, as far as the horses are concerned (of which he is not limited to number), there is little or no doubt. Twenty miles an hour is nothing to gallop for one or two hours, but the distance is the thing. On the 27th of June, 1759, Mr. Jennison Shafto rode fifty miles at Newmarket in one hour, fortynine minutes, and seventeen seconds. A match approaching somewhat to Mr. Osbaldeston's was performed by Mr. Cooper Thornhill on the 29th of April, 1745, who rode two hundred and thirteen miles in eleven hours, thirty-three minutes, and fifty-two seconds, being at the rate of eighteen miles and a half an hour. The ground passed over was from Stilton to Shoreditch Church in London, a distance of seventyone miles, which was performed in three hours, fifty-two minutes, and fifty-nine seconds; back again from Shoreditch Church to Stilton, which was done in three hours, fifty minutes, and fifty-seven seconds,

NO. VII.-VOL. II.

and again from Stilton to the Church, which was performed in three hours, forty-nine minutes, and fifty-six seconds.

Mr. Thornhill was allowed as many horses as he pleased, and the time allowed to do the two hundred and thirteen miles was fifteen hours, which he accomplished in three hours, twenty-six minutes, and eight seconds under the time. The great difference in our opinion between this and Mr. Osbaldeston's match, is the nature of the ground passed over; and were we compelled to attempt the task, we would choose a road, containing slight undulations, or even hills, in preference to a level surface, and would ride at least fifty miles from end to end instead of performing the mill-horse evolution he purposes.

In December 1810, Mr. Milton rode from Dover-street, Piccadilly, to Stamford, a distance of more than ninety miles, in four hours and twenty-five minutes, starting at eight in the morning in a violent shower of rain, and encountering other difficulties. The present certainly is a great undertaking, and as the Squire" says, if he performs it with difficulty, people will be convinced that it is so, whereas should the contrary be the case, every one will profess to be able to do it. As it is, one Newmarket jockey has expressed an opinion of the superiority of his physical powers, and should this match be

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accomplished, Mr. Osbaldeston has offered to make one with him to ride for five-and-twenty years or, until one shall cry "hold-enough.' Our opinion is that, barring accidents, he will do it-the best proof of his confidence in his own powers, is the fact of his backing himself at 5 to 4. There is no gentleman in England capable of undergoing greater fatigue than Mr. Osbaldeston, and if we were making the match, he is the one of all others that we would select. There are, however, contingencies which human foresight cannot guard against, and the shortness of the days, and uncertainty of the weather at this time of year, are both against the performance; upon this latter point in particular, we think much will depend. The match of course will commence as early in the morning as possible, and it is understood that he will change horses every fifth or sixth mile, so that each will come a second or third time.

The following description of Mr. J. Woodcock's match to ride 2,900 miles in twenty-nine successive days, will not be without its interest at this period.

It was made between Mr. Shafto and Mr. Meynel, for 2000 gs.; Mr. Shafto to get a person to ride one hundred miles a day (on any one horse each day) for twenty-nine days together; to have any number of horses not exceeding twentynine.

Mr. Woodcock started on the 4th of May, 1761, at one o'clock in the morning, and finished on

N. B. Mr. Major's mare did not begin one day till ten o'clock, Mr. Woodcock beginning in the morning with a horse called Quidnunck, and went about sixty miles by nine o'clock, and then tired; afterwards he took Mr. Major's mare to perform the one hundred miles in the remaining part of that day, which he did, and finished it about eleven o'clock at night, which was the latest hour during the whole performance, so that he rode one hundred and sixty miles that day. The course he rode was from the Hare Park to the Ditch, which made three miles, from thence he went a three-mile course round the flat, on that side the Ditch next New

market. There were posts and lamps fixed round his courses, he choosing to start very early in the mornings, to avoid the heat of the days.

We conclude this paper with wishing the Squire success.

THE present season would have been one of the most brilliant on record, if the attention of many of the principal supporters of the Turf had not been engrossed by the eternal Reform question, which bids fair to become a kind of Derby to the betting men, who speculated largely on the last Bill, and have already opened their books for the next. Doncaster was bad enough -but the first October meeting was one of unprecedented dullness; on the Monday morning our list of fashionables comprehended only four peers, and two of these disappeared before the day was over

of the commonalty the muster was in proportion to the aristocracy, and, to be in keeping, the racing was equally mediocre in quality and quantity. The only novelties of the week were the defeat of the Derby and Oaks winners, by Camarine; and the unexpected circumstance of Lord Orford's colour coming in first for the Grand Duke Michael! It is a curious coincidence that when Spaniel's brother, Lapdog, won the Derby some four or five years back, the Newmarket three yr. olds were wretched-that they are so this year, with one or two exceptions, no one will attempt to deny.

The weather each day was favourable the running must speak for itself.

First Day. The Trial Stakes closed with six subs., one of whom, Lord Exeter, contrived for a wonder to be some thirteen seconds and a half too late for the entry; the

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contest then rested between Spaniel, Camarine, Theban, and two others; Theban made first running, but at a pace so moderate, that even Spaniel went a little faster at the end of the T. Y. C., from which point to the Abingdon Mile Bottom he did manage to keep in fronthere his chance was out, for Chapple could hold Camarine no longer, let her loose, and she won with perfect ease by a length; betting 5 to 4 agst. Spaniel, and 20 to 12 agst. the winner. We fear that Spaniel will not often be found in the list of winners-his chances of success must be in slow run races over a long course, as in these cases the Whalebone blood invariably tells.

A Hundred Pound Stakes, D. M. (Handicap), followed, the only competitors being Galantine (winner of the Thousand Guinea Stakes!), and Lochinvar, the former gave 6lb., and yet she was backed at 2 to 1 agst. a horse whose running, if properly considered, is decidedly superior-she was defeated in a canter by two lengths. Boyce rode the winner.

A Match for a Hundred each, between Ciudad Rodrigo, 8st. 7lb. and Titania, 8st. 2lb., A. F. was won very easily by the mare by two lengths, jockied by Conolly; 6 to 4 on Titania, who may attribute her victory to the horse being amiss.

The Grand Duke Michael Stakes came next; out of twenty-four subs., the Blunder colt, Æneas, Bohemian, Medora colt, Barabbas, Tam-O'-Shanter, Whiteboy, Me

theglin, and the Sprightly colt came to the starting-post-the odds then being 7 to 2 agst. each of the first three, and 7 to 1 agst. Medora. Æneas made play to the T. Y. C. when Medora went by him. The Blunder colt made an attempt to get up at the Abingdon Mile Bottom, but had no chance-Medora won easily by a length, and deserves little credit for beating such apologies for race horses. Conolly was on the winner.

A match between Amphiaraus and Capt. Arthur, at 8st. 71b. each, D. I., was won by the latter by a neck, entirely through the fine riding of Robinson-and with this he did his work in a very slovenly manner. Even betting.

Second Day.A Match between Pouch Box, and a c. by Truffle, of the Duke of Rutland's (both two yr. olds), was won very easily by the latter, the loser having given 3lb. 4 to 1 on the winner, who was jockied by Robinson.

The day's "sport" was confined to this match, and the customary B. C. Plate, which was carried off by Bustle (Wakefield), without any trouble. Donegani ran second, and was terribly punished. 5 to 4 agst. Bustle, 6 to 4 agst. Donegani, and 3 to 1 agst. Christina, the only three that started.

Priam received 130 sovs. and the Cup from Lucetta.

Third Day.-Kittums, 8st. 71b., and Kitty Fisher 8st. 21b., ran a match for a Hundred, the former winning cleverly by nearly two lengths. 5 to 4 on the winner.

A Handicap of 10 sovs. each, T. Y. C., turned out a good betting race-Lochinvar was backed at 4 to 1, Zucharelli at the same, Lioness at 3 to 1, Elvas and Splendour at 10 to 1 each, Alea at 8 to 1, and Lacerta at 6 to 1-two or three

others that started were not mentioned. After the first quarter of a mile Lioness made strong running to the cords, where Lochinvar, who had a bad start, contrived to get up to her, and she immediately after tired; Barabbas then challenged, but was beaten by Lochinvar by a length cleverly. Knat rode the winner.

A two yr. old Handicap followed, Gratis, Dryad (the Harpalice filly), Rivulet filly, Miss Mary Anne, Agincourt, and three others started; a severe race between the two first named, was won by the former by a neck only. Betting 6 to 4 agst. Mary Anne, 7 to 4 agst. Dryad, 4 to 1 agst. Rivulet-the winner not thought of. Edgar Pavis rode him with considerable judgment.

A third Handicap did not afford so good a race; Cloudesley, Carwell, Gondolier, Ipsala, Conciliation, and three others started; Carwell and Cloudesley both looked well when they got within the cords, Carwell, however, ran out, and the other won easy by a length (Conolly, who rode Ipsala, declared that he should have won if Carwell had not run against her, and out of this sprung the match on the last day). the last day). Betting 5 to 2 agst. Carwell, 4 to 1 agst the Penny Trumpet filly, 5 to 1 agst. Conciliation, and 5 to 1 agst. Cloudesley. Wright rode the winner. The St. Leger. Camarine, Oxygen, Clansman, Bohemian, Scipio, and Caleb, composed the field; Scipio made running for a quarter of a mile, when Oxygen took it up, and brought them at a good pace to the Duke's stand, Camarine all the while waiting on her. Chapple now let her go, and the instant she got into her stride the race was over-she came from them like dart, and won in