Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-11
SOME REMARKABLE RIDES.
Cross Country Records Made BY For
ean Military Men on Horseback.

Inc recent announcement liial Soiiie
Germans are contemplating a ride
from Luederitz Bay, in southwest af-
rica to Berlin, is arousing a good deal
of interest. This had hardly become
known before the news Of the start OF
a Cossack girl on a ride from Harbin,
in Manchuria, to st. petersburg ap
peared in the papers.
If this journey is safely accomplish
ed it will certainly be great feat for
a woman, especially as she is accom-
panied only by a st. Bernard dog ana
will ride the same horse-a gray Mon
golian pony-all the way, distance
of some 5,425 miles. This ride is
similar to one undertaken by Rus
sian lieutenant some few years ago
This gentleman-Lieutena Basso by
name-rode $500 miles, from the
east of Manchuria to ST. Petersburg,
in eight months and three days
This does not work out at a great
daily distance, but it must be remem-
bered that the roads in that part OF
the Russian Empire are very bad, and
if the horse had been unduly pressed
it would never have reached its jour-
neys end. One of the most famous
Journeys of this kind was Colonel
Burnaby's ride to Khiva.
Englishmen have been the heroes
of several remarkable rides, some OF
them being undertaken for the sport
of the thing and some from dire ne
cessity or to save human life. Many
great sporting feats have been carried
out on Newmarket Heath, but 1t is
doubtful If any Of them are more
wonderful than that famous ride of
Mr.. Woodcock during May, 1761,
which was the result Of wager for
1000 guineas between Sir Jennison
Shafto and Mr.. Meynell.
One hundred miles a day for 29
consecutive days-2,900 in all-had to
be covered. The rider was Mr.. Wood
cock, groom to Sir Jennison. By the
conditions of the wager fresh horse
was to be provided every day, but
only thirteen in all were ridden. On
the fifteenth day the horse in use be-
came tired at the siXtieth mile and a
fresh one had to be procured.
In spite Of this Woodcock covered
the additional 100 miles on his new
mount, and duly finished the stipulat-
ed distance on the twenty-ninth day
June l. AS a matter of fact, he really
rode $500 miles owing to the extra
horse broke down.
popular in the United States, though
about three years ago an American
cavalry officer rode from Silverton,
Oregon to New York, a distance OF
about 5000 miles. 1t is among officers
of continental armies that long dis
tance rides are most popular, but 1t Is
unfortunate that many of the riders
care more for records than for their
horses.
Paris, Vienna, Rome and Bucharest
have seen the start or finish Of many
of these famous rides Perhaps the
first between Paris and Vienna was
that of Count de Maintenay when he
went to Vienna to secure the Austrian
emperor's consent to the marriage OF
Napoleon and Marie Louise. Six re-
laws of horses were provided, but his
own animal did so well that he did
not change it. He returned before ne
was expected and received a reward
Of $4,000 francs and jeweled snuff
box.
In 1870 a Hungarian officer covered
the 500 miles between the two cities
in Is days, riding his own horse. This
time was beaten II years ago, when
NJ. Cottu made the journey on irish
Lass in a little over 13 days. Undoubt-
edly the best of these cross-country
rides was accomplished by Lieutenant
Heyl, of the Ninth Hanoverian Dra-
goonS.
He covered 1,4OO miles between
Metz and Bucharest at an average
speed of Sc miles a day, and arrived
none the worse for his journey. But
he was a horseman as we'll as rec
ord-breaker, and carefully trained
both himself and his horse before he
started; he also nursed it during his
ride and saw that it was well groom
ed whenever possible, so that there
were no distressing scenes at the fin
ish.
The most notorious of these mill
tary rides was that top speed gallon
between Vienna and Berlin in Octo-
Der. 1892. No fewer than 200 officers
took part in this ride, the Germans
proceeding from Berlin to Vienna,
while the Austrians rode in the OPP
posite direction.
The distance is about 420 miles, and
Count Starhemberg (Austria), the
winner, finished in II hours 20 min
utes The count had undergone Sc
we're training to reduce his weight,
and the horse had also received atten-
ton, but in the race itself it had to be
kept going by the aid of stimulants.
In spite of this the strain was too
great and the animal died within few
hours Of the finish.
The chief prize was 10000 marks
and a silver statuette, presented by
the German emperor, while the sec
ond award was half that amount and
a silver statuette, presented by the
Austrian Kaiser. This was won by
the German Baron Won Reitzenstein-
quite a poetic touch this, the prizes
given by each emperor being won by
q subject of the other-who took ~
hours minutes.
Many remarkable rides have been
made in the course Of active service
in the United States, in Indian war
fare, during the Civil War and in po-
lice work in the west. Perhaps the
finest record was that Of Captain Mac
donald, of the Texas Rangers when
chasing a band of Mexican horse
thieves.
When the latter made their raid he
was many miles away, and they
thought he would come after them by
the railway, which made a long de-
tour, so they took things easily. The
captain guessed this, so determined
to give them a surprise, and set off
across country, a distance of $50 miles
as soon as he heard the news. He
pressed forward with all speed, and
by changing horses 10 times on the
way arrived 6S hours later. Hastily
collecting a small band Of cowboys he
proceeded at once to the camp of the
thieves, who were so surprised by his
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