Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-09-04
llems an0 sllisfeIlanu.
A Remarkable Raee-Tw0 Hundred
Miles I'M Eigiit Hours.

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August 8:
1T has long been asserted by competent
borsemen that the common Mexican or
California horse-or, as he is commonly
DESIGNATED .Mustang'-ls the most enduT-
inc animal in the world, and that his speed,
If fairly put to the test, would astonish the
advocates of fblooded stock, high feeding
and fancy training. A few years since
was talking to an old Californian who
mentioned the fact that before the cesslon
of California to the United States, the
Young men of Los Angeles were compelled
TO 90 to Santa Barbara for their license to
marry. The distance was sixty-five miles
bv mountain trails and along the sea shore,
taking the shortest cut they could make.
and vet the Young cabelleros made it a
noint of honor ALWAYS to ride there and
back within the twenty-four hours pre-
ceding their marriage. making the entire
distance of one hundred and thirty miles,
the toughest kind of riding in not, dry
climate with single horse. They would
leave Los Angeles after dinner, riding az
gallop all the way, and reaching santa Bar
baTa before midnight, take sleep until
morning get the license, and ride back IN
the blazing sun, arriving IN season Tor the
celebration of the nuptials in the afternoon,
given in honor of the suspicious event.
An Enplishman, who heard this statement,
remarked instantly: .Baw. well, that's all
very well for Hamerica. but a Hinghshnan
would done 1t in 'alf the time 7 What
more could be said?
Now it is well known that the greatest
feat of Craftsmanship ever accomplished IN
England was that of Mr.. Osbaldiston, who
rode two hundred miles in hours and AZ
minutes. and he was a small man, riding
large, powerful horses. No other English
man has ever accomplished this feat.
'.In May, 1858, Jack Powers rode $50
miles In hours, 43 minutes and 81 sec
onds, riding California stock; and subse-
quently Tom McNabb rode 200 miles in
10 hours.
about a month since party of horse
men were discussing the question of the
comparative merits of imported blooded
stock aud the common California mustangs
and the different styles of riding. when Ed
ward Whipple offered to bet p, 800 against
=. 90 that no man could be found to ride
800 miles in II consecutive hours. He was
Mt once taken up by Louis Burns and John
Cahill: who named ". Fl. Mowry as the
man to ride. The match was all agreed
upon on the spot. and since then there has
been constant betting going on as to the
result. You will see that he must average
4 mile every three minutes for fifteen con-
secutive hours. GLOWING nothing for loss of
time. IN changing horses ut every second.
third or fourth mile. accidents or unac-
couniable delays. The general feeling
was that ne could never succeed, and III
the betting the odds were decidedly against
him. Yesterday Sunday, August . Was
fixed on for this race against time.
THE RACE.
Tire race took place Mt Bay View Park.
few miles north of the city, over a mile
track. The animals. thirty in number, Sc
lected by Mr.. Mowery, were the common
California Mustangs and half breeds. none
Of them fall-sized. but all formed of the
pluck and life which belongs
to the descendants of the gallant fleets
which were ridden into Spain by the fiery
followers of Musa and Taric. when at the
bidding of the Commander Of the Faithful,
the conquerors Of Africa poured into En-
rope, there to spread the knowledge of the
tine God and the law of the Koran
AT twenty minutes TO five in the morn
ing he sprang into the saddle, and rode the
first horse four times around the track
that Is 10 say four miles-at dead run.
Attendants stood ready nj the stand to sad
die and bring ont the fresh horses as he
becRoned for them III coming around; and
he changed animals rapidly riding none
of them three miles after the first and
few Of them more than two. The Mexican
dodge OF rushing was constantly resorted
to. An attendant would ride one-fourth or
one-thiTd of the way down the track to
meet him rs he came IN wheeling his horse
ride back just behind him, yelling. Ia.
mos! ramos 3ch0op-dh-Dan0s !" and swing
ing his hat as If frantic. This
would start the tagging animal
into redoubed exertions, and he
would come in fairly flying. A single
sharp pull on the Spanish bit would stop
the animal III a second, and in two or three
more the rider would be on a fresh animal
and off again. Sometimes the mile or two
miles would he ridden one way around the
track, sometimes the other, in order to re-
lieve the rider by change as far as practical
bic Early In the morning the race-track
was crowded with people, and before p.
M. the jam was immense. Up TO II m. the
rider refused all assistance in mounting
and Temountlng, but after that his attend
ants would occasionally give him lift. APP
paIentlv not SO much 5ecause he required
it as Tor fear that he might do SO before the
race was over. At the end of two hundred
miles a rest was taken. and placard was
displayed from the judges stand that the
two hundred miles had been accomplished
III eight hours two minutes and forty-eight
seconds-tltus beating by forty minutes the
time made by Mr.. Osbaldiston, with race
horses, IN England. Then the start was
made on the third hundred miles, Mr.
Mowery having had a bath and otherwise
himself, and appeared good for
the two hundred more, II required The
bets are now changed. and large odds were
offered on the winning, with butfew takers,
and those Of the obstinate English bob-tail
and pigsslzin school He now made mile
IN 2:0S, and the average speed was 2:30
There was very heavy wind blowing
across the track at this time, and the av-
erage speed must have been considerably
affected by this fact, nevelthe-
less he kept up his lick amid the cheering
of the crowd, never tagging for an instant.
! halt was made for a second bath, and
from time to time an attendant would dash
a little water over MoweTy's head as he
rode along. At one time a friend who was
at the stand ran forward and offered his
own horse for ride over the track. Now
cry was on him in an instant. and rode not
only once but three times around As heI
came around the second time, the owner
made a frnitless attempt to catch him., and
only succeeded in catching fall rs the |
rider, sitting erect as a bronze statue, |
dashed past The crowd yelled with de-
light al this, and as Mowery came around
the third time, shouted 70 him to ego it
again, but that would have been carrying
the joke too far. and he changed horses,
while the ofheious friend led his own
away amid the jeers and cheers of the
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