The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-18
A Race Extraordinary


ness and fnll-grown hog-single heat
distance, six English miles, for wager of
one thousand guilders.
The circumstances which led to this
unique trial of speed were as follows: At
sporting club at Hague young member
| of the club eXpatiated on the beauty, SYM
metry, and extraordinary speed Of trot-
ting horse he had that day purchased, eX-
pressing an eager desire to get match to
prove the superior qualities of his horse.
A gentleman, engaged in hand at cards,
but whose attention had been attracted by
the ardent and impassioncd remarks of the
speaker, quietly remarked: Come, sir,
don't be Dragging so much about the swift
ness of your horse, for have a pig which,
for a trifing wager, would not hesitate to
run against your horse" Peels Of laughter
greeted this strange proposal, to which
when partially subsided-the owner OF
Grunty" quietly intcrposed: We'll,
gentlemen, now challenge to run my hog,
| Nero, against the gentleman's fast trotter,
in harness, one straight heat, six English
miles, for one thousand guilders a side"
Dono!" "Done +" was the eager re-
Spouse from many voices. " Provided"
the challenger resumed, "that the horse
carry two persons, and that fourteen days
time be allowed me for training my ami
| NAL" "Agreed :" resounded all round
! for the Joke was deemed too good and too
| novel to give it the 60 by.
Prelimnaries being satisfactorily ar
ranged, and the stakes deposited, it was
agreed that the match should come Off that
day fortnight at IL o'clock A. NJ. precisely,
aud the beautiful avenue leading from the
Hague to the SeaSh0re at Schcvenlngton
was selected as the course. The news OF
this extraordinary match for trial of
speed between fast trottiDg horse and
full grown porker spread like wild-tire.
and caused the most intense excitement,
not alone in sporting circles, but among
the people generally-all eager to see the
| fun. The day was anXiouSly looked for,
and the training Of Nero began.
On the first day poor Nero was starved,
strict orders having been given that none
should feed him, himself alone attending
to that matter. On the second day Nero
was pretty sharp set, when, punctually at
IL o'clock, his master made his appear
ance. A rope was securely fastened to
one of his hindtrotters, and his master
drove him, with many kick and forcible
|
Schevenington, where he fed him upon a
scanty meal Of two herrings, which Nero
ravcnouSly devoured after which he had
to trot it back again to the Hague. 1t
| may be proper here to remark that the
hog prefers fish to any other kind Of food.
On the third day Nero felt perfectly
| ravenous, but he had to bide his time, and
| his master had to resort to the stricteSt
hog discipline to start him off when at IL
O'Clock he presented himself to drive him
over the course. After liberal and ener-
getic application of the booted foot and a
little loud angry discussion between the
respective parties they arrived at their
journeys end, where Nero was RECALLED
| with three herriDgs, being one extra,
and which he dispatched yoraciously in
double-quick time, looking for more, but
| in vain. He was then, with much kicking
and coaxing, persuaded to resume the re-
turn trip homeward, and which was safely
accomplished, although not without con-
siderable opposition, accompanied by
vigorous squcaling and determined grunt-
ing on the part Of Nero.
On the fourth day, punctually at eleven
o'clock, when his master presented him
| the object of his calling; he walked of,
not only without compulsion, but with
considerable alacrity, at good round
pace, to get to his journeys end, where
his master RECALLED him not alone with his
coveted dinner of three hcrrings, but, as
reward for his tractability and good con-
duct, with one herring extra, and which
| Nero deyoured with incredible velocity as
soon as they came within reach OF his
| grinders.
On the fifth day Nero was fully up to
the game, and his master experienced con-
siderable difficulty to keep up with him.
At Schevenington the usual allowance now
of four herripgs was placed at his disposal,
and disposed Of by him in short metre.
| On the following days and up to the
time Of the race his master had no further
difficulty with Nero but to keep up with
him, Nero invariably taking the lead, al
though on his return trips the same diff
culties always REQUIRED. A vigorous ap-
plication Of boots was in such case the
only convincing argument with Nero, who
never could see the point nor comprehend
the necessity of this back-track move
ment, and ever obStreperously squeeled
and grunted his objections, deeming this
extra exercise probably supert1uous to his
health, as he had never shown any signs Of
either dyspepsia or indigestion. But be
that as it may, Nero had to submit to
strict discipline, his master intending to
thus train him up to fame and renown.
On the ninth day Nero had become per-
fectly trained; and having grown eX-
tremely thin upon his scanty meals he ran
like race-horse, a veritable Eclipse, in
variably distancing his master, who fol-
lowed behind with tast-trOtting horse in
harness. Both exercise and spare diet
were, however, strictly adhered to up to
the day preceding the one on which the
race was to come off. On that 1.-THE thir-
toenth) as on the first day, poor Nero was
again starved. At the usual hour of II
his master appeared, but Nero was doomed
to disappointmcnt-no trot, no herrings on
that day. With eager eye and impatient
grunt he signifed his desire to be released
from his pen but, alas it was not so to
be: he had to submit to day Of fasting
and prayer-or, at least, prepare for the
race.
On the fourteenth day both hog and
horse appeared at the starting post, eager
for tho race. 1t was beautiful day, and
the road was lined the entire distance, on
both sides, with anxious and delighted
spectators eager to see the sport. Punctu-
ally at II o'clock, at the tap Of the drum,
off they started, amid shouts and hurrahs
Of the multitude. The first two miles
were closely cOntested-it was emphati-
cally neck and neck race; but Nero,
! light as feather (and having in his minds