The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-14

| possibly be imagined Each Of them had his
jackall or attendant to raise his game, with whom
something like this:-"P I'll bet ten or twenty dol
lars which ball the peas under" "I'll bet you
do-it's under that middle one" "What will we bet"
III lay you $50 you don't tell me which IT'S under I'd,
| I" I'll not bet this time" {" Let me try" cpl bet
you or any body can't tell which cup has the pea
UNDER here's fifty dollars in gold, who'll take me
up" "Pll bet you five it's under that one" IN
not bet five, I'll stake fifty one tells where the
pea is; its neither there, there but its here gen.
tlemen, NC: Ne" In every part OF the space out
side the wall, this jargon kept grating on the ear
OF sweat tables, too, there were no scarcity, pre-
sided over by gentlemen of all hues of color, whose
invitation to passers by to "come and win and lose
a dollar" were part of the floating harmony
The enclosed area, whose circumference OF
mile formed the Course was the resort OF the car
riages and horsemen; and those pedestrians who de-
cined to pay for place the stand, or who were
able to screw up their self denial to leave the en-
ticing precincts of the booths and tents we have
spoken OF to witness the potent contest be-
tween the horses On first casting the eye
were quite indistinctly seen as enormous clouds
Of dust noated over it like the smoke of ar
| tillery over bombarded city. In attempting to
wend your way to it countless obstacles impeded
your steps. The crowd moving IN counter currents,
the carriages Fastening to take up favorable posi-
ton, and the oppressive of pulverZed clay
that bounded in mid air, all contributed to make the
progress to the Course slow indeed. Immediately
the great stand for spectators the other side OF
the course, dense mass of vehicles of all descrlp
tons congregated. Among these, the most striking
were number OF the city omnlbusses, which mad
been engaged for the day by full! complement of
passengers, who, from the roofs of them were en-
abled to have a capital view OF the race. AS may
be expected, the occupants of them were of more
mixed class than those who lolled in private car
riages, or those engaged special for the occa-
sion; accordingly, our friends of the omnibuses
managed to while away time in a right free
and easy manner; Here and there out of
the windows might be seen protruding ru-
bicund visage, smiling complacently down on jar
OF Old Jamaica, whose contents were being dlspen-
sed to knot of thirsty looking souls beneath the
shadow OF the high carriage in another quarter,
the bowl of a huge Dutch pipe kept steaming away
ney OF the locomotives on the road contiguous;
whilst now and again willing hand was stretched
out to lay hold that sparkling glass Of grog, that
raised to his friend inside. All the face of the
field the crowd was continually in motion hun
dreds seated themselves on the grass but by far the
rest but finding none, until finding spirits more
wicked than themselves, they entered into the swept
and garnished GROCERY, and "very, the last state
OF these men was worse than the first" Around
the whole field dense masses Of human beings
slate roof of the houses already mentioned, situated
at the entr ance to the Course from the railroad,
there could not be fewer than three or four hun
drcd perched for four consecutive hours in the sury
sun two or three trees also of considerable SIZE
which grew on the margin of the field now referred
to, afforded an observatory to several scores, many
OF whom assembled to the very summit and the ex.
tremities of the branches fit to bear them. In all
this enterprise In search of accommodation, it is
pleasing that no accident occurred, for, considering
the vast mass OF human beings, and their varied
methods OF disposing OF themselves, nothing was
more apparently probable than hurt to life and limb
The nearest approach to it before the race was from
q horse that broke away with light wagon or gig
he started from the centre of the course head
ed at hard pace towards the main approach from
the Brooklyn high road, turned to the right at an in
creased speed, making every thing fly before him
At last two or three resoute individuals expertly
seized the lines, and brought him to dead halt,
without hurt or molestation to any one. Almost for
unate and strange thing considering the number OF
persons that were exposed to injury from such
cause. AS the hours flew past, the crowd increased
with amazing rapidly. Every train brought its full
quota, and the roads leading to the course were
every one OF them covered with continuous tor
rent OF men, horses, wagons, omnibuses and car
rlages, up to two o'clock. About this hour the null
tiude had got to its maximum strength, and it would
seem an exaggeraon, but it is fact, that the
horation IN the state of the atnosphere for the d.
recton OF the wind being parallel with that of the
approach to the Course from New York, the air was
thoroughly impregnated with the dust set in motion
on the trodden and thronged roads, and as soon as
they dlsembogued their myriads, the southery
breeze came pure and balmy and refreshing It
would be out OF the bounds of possibility, to convey
graphic sketch of the scene on this field where we
have been wandering in fancy for the last few mi
nutes, but where, yesterday forenoon, we were in
the body and witnesses Of as large an accumua-
ton OF the realities of life, could be by hui
man eye In one day.
On the stand there could not be fewer than thirty
thousand persons; every train added countless hosts
for the first race of everybody who obtained admis-
sion, was to the grand stand, and the solicltude to
secure places increased the direct ratio of the diff
ficuy of finding them, that the onset of the last
was lmpetuous in the extreme. A harder days la
Dor no men performed that day, than those who had
charge OF the stairs. We saw several alterations
with fellows who attempted to get on the stand
without tickets, but they invariably foied. More
fortunate by far, however, was the onset made on
ITS LETT extremity, at about one o'clock AT that hour
1t became desirable to remove some of the boards
OF the back wall to give free admission to the to
those below; the rowdies no sooner got foothold,
than they attacked and carried the outer wall, thir
tyfeethigh, by escalade BY species of affinity their
chums above collected In sufficient force to cooperate
IN the movement and lnabou two minutes reporter
counted fifty who either rolled over were hoisted
by the coat collar and lnexpressibles, to place
among the upper 10000. AT last the trick was
detected and stopped but not before strong posse
Of boys had proftted by the example set them; and
tor the ensuing half hour, hordes of irregular troops
kept proving about the wall, like tribe of Be
douins around doomed caravan. 1t was under
stood that the horses were to start at one o'clock,
and from this hour the excitement the stand
became intense, and until two, each individual
kept his position or looked for one that was better
with eye constantly bent to the Judges stand. We
saw several persons from Canada among the crowd,
and we understand that every section of the Union
was largely represented. The lower portion of the
stand was occupied by refreshment tables one
side and faro and roulette, and all of gaming
tables on the other. Betting and gambling and guz-
cling went at rapid rate, and the work Of Satan
here progressed with celebrity and promptiude
that must have been greatly pleasing to his internal
hghness.
eatbern@ ike thunder cn"d iii da w'',e as nr
dous. In the vicinity of the judges stand, and the
enclosed space before the grand stand, the multitude
heaved and fell like the pillows Of the ocean in a
looking up at the stands, the immense Of faces,
and the hoarsc murmur Of expectation that spread
through the thronged buildings was one Of the most
extraordinary scenes that well be imagined.
Here might be representatives from all parts Of
the Union, and the countenances of all betokened
that their whole spirit was awakened, and their