The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-21
A REMARKABLE RACE.
CALIFORNIA; Mustsngs Ewo Hundrsd
Milea tn Eight Hours.


cago Tribune writes, under date of Aug. 81
ut has long been asserted by competent
horsemen that the common Mexican or Cali
fo1nia horse-or, as he is commonly desig-
mated, 'Mustapg'-is the most enduring ani-
NAL in the world, and that his speed, il fairly
put to the test would astonish the advocates
OF 'blooded stock high feeding, and fancy
training. A few years since | was talking to
an old Californian who mentioned the fact that
before the cession of California to the United
States the young men of Los Angeles were
compelled to 60 to Santa Barbara for
their license to marry. The distance was
sixty-fve miles by mountain trails and
along the seashore, taking the shortest cut
they could make, and yet the young caballeros
made it point of honor always to ride there
and back within the twenty-iour hours pre-
ceding their marriage, making the entire dis
tance of one hundred and thirty miles, the
toughest kind of riding in a hot, dry climate,
with single horse. They would leave Los
Angeles after dinner, riding at gallop all the
way, and reaching Santa Barbara, before mid
night, take a sleep until morning, get the
license and ride back in the blazing sun,
arriving in season for the celebration of the
nuptials in the afternoon, then dance all night
at the grand ball given in honor of the aus
piciOus event. An Englishman who heard this
statement remarked instantly, Haw, well,
that's all very well for Hamerica, but
Uinglishman would a done it in 'alt the time =
What more could be said
''Now il is well known that the greatest feat
of horsemanship ever accomplished in England
was that of Mr. Osbaldjston, who rode 200
miles in eight hours aud forty-tgo minutes,
and he was q small man, riding large, power
full horses. No other Engliahman has ever
equalled this feat.
'In May, 1858, Jack Powers rode $50 miles
in six hours, forty three minutes and thirty
one seconds, riding California stock; and sub
subsequently Tom McNabb rode 200 miles in
ten hours.
"About month since party of horsemen
We're discussing the question OF the comp ara
tive merits of imported blooded stock and the
common California mustangs. aud the differ
ent styles of riding when Edward Whpple
offered to bet $4,000 against $1,000 that no man
could be found to ride 300 miles on fifteen
consecutive horses. lie was at once taken up
by Louis Burns and John Cahil, who named
N. H. Mowery as the man to ride. The
match was all agreed upon on the spot, aud
since then there has been constant betting
going on as to the result. You will see that
lie must average a mile every three minutes
for fifteen consecutive hours, allowing nothing
for loss of time in changing horses at every
second, third, or fourth mile, accidents or IN
accountable delays. The general feeling was
that be could never succeed, aud in tho bet
ting the odds we're decidedly against him.
Yesterday (SUnday, August ,, vas fixed on
for tLis race against time.
THE RACE.
'The race took place at Bay View Park, a
few miles north of the city, over mile track,
The animals, thirty in number, selected by Mr..
Mowery, were the common California mus
taugs and half breeds none OF tbem full-sized,
but all formed of the indOmtsble pluck and
life which belongs to the descendants of the
gallant fleets which were ridden into Spain by
the fiery followers of Musa aud Taic, when, at
the bidding of the Commander of the Faithful,
the copquerors of Africa poured into Europe,
there to spread the knowledge of the true God
and the law of the Koran.
''Mr. Mowery is an old Californian, appa-
renty of about the middle age, weighs lGO
pounds, and rode with heavy Mexicau-C Cali
tornia saddle, Spanish bit and free rein.
SAT twenty minutes to five in the morning
he sprapg into the saddle, and rode the first
horse four times around the track-that is to
say four miles--at a dead run. Attendants
stood ready at the stand to saddle and prirg
out the fresh horses as he beckOned for them
in coming around; and he changed amin ais
rapidly, riding none of them three miles after
the first, and few of them more than two.
The Mexican dodge of rushing was con-
stantly resorted to. An attendant would ride
one-fourth or one-third of the way down the
track to meet him as he came in wheeling his
horse, ride back just behind him yelling,
'Vainos vamoS ,ohoop 0h ramos and swinging
his hat as if frantic. This would start the flag
ging animal into redoubled eXertons, and he
would come in fairly flying single sharp pull
on the Spanish bit would stop the animal in a
second, and in two or three more the rider
would be on fresh animal, and off again.
Sometimes the mile or two miles would be
ridden one way round the track, sometimes
the other, in order to relieve the rider by
change as far as practicable. Early in the
morning the race-track was crowded with
mense. Up to y NJ. the rider refused all
assistance in mounting and remounting, but
after that his attendants would occasionally
give him lift, apparently not 80 much be
cause he required it, as for fear that he nigh
do so before the race was over. At the end o.
two hundred miles a rest was taken, and q
placard was displayed from the judges stan(
that the two hundred miles had been accom-
plished in eight hours, two minutes
and forty eight secOnds-thus beating by
forty minutes the time made by Mr.
Osbaldiston, with race horses in Eng
land. Then the start was made on the thirC
hundred miles, Mr.. Mowery having had a batl
and otherwise refreshed himself, and appear
ing good for the two hundred more, if required
The bets are now changed, and large odds were
offered ON his winning, with but few takers
and those of the obstinate English bob-tail anC
pig-skin school. He now made mile in 2OS
and the average speed was 2 30 throughout
There was very heavy wind blowing acros
the track at this time, and the average speed
must have been considerably untayorabl.
affected by this fact, nevertheless he kept u
his lick, amid the cheering of the crowd, neVe
tagging for an instant. A halt was made for
second hath and from TINA tO TINA an attan1