almost vertical; this dangerous task Mr. Poole (not only one of the most daring, but one of the best riders in the country) performed on the appointed day with the greatest ease, in the presence of a field of nearly one hundred sportsmen. In the descent, he was allowed to diverge ten yards only to the right or left of the starting point; but so nearly straight was his progress, that he did not deviate more than three feet at most from the line. He rode an aged mare of his own, who rapidly executed her task, galloping with her fore-feet, and sliding upon her hocks, no less to the astonishment than gratification of all present which was a mare big with foal. In the middle of the night his keeper, who lay in a room adjoining the stable, hearing a noise and commotion among the horses, rose, and roused the farmer, with whom he proceeded to the stable, where, to their great consternation, they found the mare broken loose from her halter, and in the same stall with the stallion. Their fears for the safety of the mare were, however, quite unfounded. The horse was standing close to one side of his stall, as if to make room for his female friend, and was eyeing her with a look of extraordinary gentleness and complacency. But the surprise of the spectators was greatly increased, when they observed that the mare had just foaled, and that the foal had wan-is stated to have accomplished the same task dered from the stall of his dam, and was lying quietly below the belly of the stallion, whilst the generous animal had placed himself, with evident intention, in such a situation as to avoid injuring it. Race-horses of former days certainly carried less weight than those of the present: when the Derby stakes were first established at Epsom, the weight then carried was but eight stone, or eight stone two pounds; but now it has progressively increased to eight stone seven pounds; and it has likewise progressively risen both in the gold cup and St. Leger stakes at Doncaster, and in a a variety of other stakes. The following perilous equestrian feat took place, October 10, 1815:-T. Poole, Esq. of Hadgrove, Sussex, undertook, for a wager of fifty guineas, to ride down the steepest part of the Devil's dyke, near Brighton, on horseback; a descent, at least, of three hundred yards, and in many places About twenty years before, Lady Worsley on her hunter, after the hounds, but no one of the field had the courage to follow her. Colonel Way, of the 29th regiment, came into the possession of two horses, Suwarrow and Black Jack, whose histories are remarkable: - Suwarrow was once the property of the grand-vizier of the Turkish empire, who, having been killed in battle, was taken by the enemy, and became the favorite charger of the great Russian general Field-marshal Count Suwarrow, who, for his gallant conduct in Italy, was surnamed Italinski. (See Gifford's History of the Wars of the French Revolution.) After the death of that illustrious commander, Suwarrow was brought to England by the Russian ambassador, who gave him to Lord Sheffield, and his lordship afterwards presented him to his nephew, Colonel Way Black Jack formerly belonged to the Hon Colonel Augustus Lake, of the 29th regiment, who, at the action of Roleia, in Portugal, || Newcastle-upon-Tyne Meeting, 1808, he lent him to Colonel Way; but the horse he was himself mounted on having been killed by a cannon-ball, in the heat of the battle, Colonel Way returned him to Colonel Lake. Shortly after this, Colonel Lake was killed by a musket-shot, while gallantly fighting at the head of the 29th grenadiers, and Black Jack was taken prisoner, and became the property of a French general, from whom Colonel Way bought him, soon after the nemorable convention of Cintra, and since rode him at the battles of the Douro, Busaco, Talavera, and Albuera; at the last of which, the colonel having been severely wounded, this fine charger narrowly escaped being a second time taken prisoner by the French. Suwarrow and Black Jack having entirely escaped from the fatigues of war, contracted the strictest friendship for each other; for if separated for even a moment, they expressed the greatest impatience, by neighing and restlessness. won a sweepstakes of twenty guineas each, for four years old colts, four miles, (five subscribers) beating Oran and Sylvio. He won the king's purse of one hundred guineas, four miles, beating Ranger. He also won the gold cup, value one hundred guineas, with forty guineas in specie, three years old, four miles, beating Harmless, Cramlington, Smasher, Mark Anthony, and Lysander. In 1809 he won sixty-two pounds twelve shiilings, four miles, beating Little Funny and Cramlington. He also won the king's purse of one hundred guineas, beating Mowbray; the gold cup, value one hundred guineas, with forty guineas in specie, four miles, beating Julius Cæsar and Cramlington. This was a very great betting race, and the friends of Julius Cæsar lost their money to a considerable amount. At Richmond, Cardinal York won the gold cup, value one hundred guineas, with forty guineas added, four miles, beating Mowbray, Rosette, Swiftsure, Ceres, and Lingadel. This was a very fine race, and won with great difficulty. It was the last time of his appear Cardinal York, a brown horse, foaled in 1804, got by Sir Peter Teazle, his dam Charmer, and bred by Edward Ellerker, Esq. of Hart, Hartlepool, Durham, was bought ating in public as a racer. Mr. Ellerker's sale of the stud at Doncaster, Catton, a bay-horse, foaled in 1809, got for two hundred and fifty guineas. At York by Golumpus, his dam Lucy Gray, by TimoSpring Meeting, 1807, he won the twenty thy, was bred by Messrs. W. Horsley and guineas stakes, for three years old colts, one S. King, whose property he was till 1811, mile and three quarters, (ten subscribers) having been then sold to the Earl of Scarbeating Hylas, Grey Knowsley, Whitenose, borough; in the York August Meeting, 1812, Windle, Rossington, and Sir H. T. Vane's he won a sweepstakes of fifty guineas each, b. f by Phænomenon. In the York August for three years old colts, two miles, (nine Meeting, he won a sweepstakes of thirty subscribers) beating Langold, Boadicea, Euguineas each, twenty guineas forfeit, for three ryalus, Zigzag, and Don Carlos. In the years old colts, beating Comrade, and Lord York Spring Meeting, 1813, he ran second Darlington's colt, by Archduke. In the to Sligo, for a sweepstakes of twenty guineas each, two miles, beating Geranium, Langold, || and seventy-seven pounds ten shillings, four Mowbray, Otterington, and Casloff. At the miles, beating Epperston and Woodman. same meeting, he ran second to Sligo for the At Doncaster, Catton won the Fitz-WilConstitution stakes of twenty guineas each, liam stakes, of ten guineas each, with twenty beating Geranium, Otterington, Fugitive, guineas added, (seven subscribers) beating Salamanca, Mr. Gascoign's b. c. by Sancho,|| Tramp, Cossack, Ranger, and Fairville. He Duke of Leeds' b. f. by Beningbrough, and also won the stakes of ten guineas, with Sir M. M. Sykes's sister to Prime Minister. twenty guineas added, four miles, (thirteen Next day he won seventy pounds, at two subscribers) beating Fugitive, and Mr. T. trials, for all ages, three miles, beating Na-Duncombe's b. c. by Chance. This was vigator, Manuella, and Mr. Brade's b. f. by easily won. Diamond. This was easily wou, At At York Spring Meeting, 1815, Catton At York August Meeting, Catton won the won the gold cup, value one hundred and king's purse of one hundred guineas, four fifty guineas, with thirty guineas in specie, miles, beating Otterington and Knight Er- three miles, beating Rosanne, Mr. Garforth's ant. At Doncaster he won a sweepstakes grey f. by Hambletonian, and Marciana. f fifty guineas each, (six subscribers) beating|| Won in a canter. Next day he won the Algernon. Next day he won the hundred Constitution stakes of twenty guineas each, ound purse at two heats, two miles, beating (fourteen subscribers) beating William, and Ploughboy, Mr. Garforth's g. f. by Sancho, || Miss Cannon, (sister to Cannon-ball.) Lord Belhavin's b. c. by Master Robert, and York August Meeting he won a subscription Diabolus. This was easily won. of twenty-five guineas, two miles, (eleven subscribers) beating Altisidora and Viscount He also won one of the great subscriptionpurses of two hundred and seventy-seven pounds ten shillings, beating Altisidora. At Doncaster he won the gold cup, value one hundred guineas and upwards, beating Everlasting, Marciana, Fulford, Legacy, and Fu In the York Spring Meeting, 1814, Catton ran second to Cannon-ball for the Constitution stakes, of twenty guineas each, for all ages, one mile and a quarter, beating Mr. Vernon's b. c. by Newcastle, Catherine, and Viscount. At Newcastle he ran a dead-heat with XYZ, for the Northumberland stakes, of twenty-five guineas, for all ages, two miles and a quar-gleman. He also won the Doncaster stakes ter, (six subscribers) beating Agnes, Sorrel, and Lobo. After the dead-heat X Y Z received a compromise, and Catton walked In 1816, at York Spring Meeting, Catton over. In the York August Meeting, he won won the gold cup, value one hundred guineas, another of the great subscription-purses of with twenty guineas in specie, beating Fultwo hundred and seventy-seven pounds tenford, King Coil, Arcot Lass, Mr. Gurforth's shillings, four miles, (thirteen subscribers) gr. c. by Camillus, and Everlasting. At beating Skip. Next day he won another of Newcastle he won the gold cup, value one the great subscription-purses of two hundred hundred guineas, with thirty guineas in 31. of thirty guineas, with twenty guineas added. (thirteen subscribers) beating Altisidora. 5 A |