The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-19
A JAPANESE HORSE RACE.
With Variations Peculiar TO the
Country.
John A. Cockerill's Japanese Correspond
ence in New York Herald.

Country.
John A. Cockerilrs japanese Correspond
ence in New York Herald.
Shimonoseki, as has already been de-
scribed by me, is a contracted town ly-
ing between the water and the granite
hills, which in some places show a dis
position to touch their lips to the blue
crystal. 1t has great length and very
little breadth, yet, walking a half a mile
to the rear up q gulch through which
a road passes, we found a spot level
enough to set up small race. track, be-
sides some massive, matched godaons,
containing government stores. Here the
jollifers were having pony races. The
track Enclosure was made by driving bam-
boo stakes and stringing straw ropes
The inner fence was made in the same
way, only on a smaller scale The fun
was free to all. At least 5,0J0 excited peo-
pie stood like a wall around the course
and the neighbOring hills were blue with
the masses of spectators, all jocund, ex-
cited and expectant. The ponies were rid
den by boys dressed in various hues, but
looking not the least bit Ike jockeys.
Grave japanese gentlemen peTched in the
judges stand. I witnessed one race. On
the third lap the best pony in the sweep
stakes threw his rider and went gallop-
ing around the track. That was sport
for the yelling, bowling Japanese. Pan
demonium would have been poor Sec
ond in that noise making crowd. EverX
time the crazy pony would attempt TO
break through the Enclosure the people
with boots and yells would drive him
back He ran at will, swapping the ropes
of the inner fence as though they We're
spider webs He was determined to make
an exit. After three attempts to break
through near the point where l was stand
ing at last, after taking a fierce run
around the course, he came at us end
on. The crowd stood its ground. The
crazy brute gave lofty jump and came
down squarely upon the living mass in
front. The line surged, and when could
get a look 1 saw the heavy pony lying on
his back, heels in the air, and beneath
him poor boy, who seemed crushed and
helpless. The animal struggled to his feet
and galloped away into the fleeing,
screeching mass of now thoroughly fright
ened Japs.
l then had revelation of that peculiar
indifference to suffering humanity which
distinguishes all the Inhabitants of the
Orient. Nobody paid the slightest atten-
ton to the mangled boy lying prone upon
the ground. l ran toward the spot, call
ing attention to the poor fellow. Only
half dozen people looked. They were
interested in the gyrations of the run
away pony. They were all crazy with ex-
citement. At last a comrade of the boy
gathered him into his arms. The livid
face, the limp form, the blood gushing
from the mouth all indicated great inter
nal injurye but nobody came to the relief
of the unfortunate one until after he had
been carried inside the track and laid on
the grass, and a policeman had been sum-
moned. Then the horse having been pull
ed up, the oilers gathered about, and 1
could not learn whether the man was
dead or not, But l had seen enough of
Japanese horse-racing.