HORSE RACING IN ROME DURING THE CARNIVAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 537, 2 August 1872, Page 3

HORSE RACING IN ROME DURING THE CARNIVAL.

The following is our artist’s description of this peculiar national Here at the foot of that most ancient obelisk, the same that stood four thousand years ago before the Temple of the Sun in Heliopolis, and that Augustus gave as a gift to the Sun in the Circuz Maximus, was raised a stand, semicircular, and flanked hy two smaller ones, in the right hand one of which was the King, The Obelisk, perhaps, had seen before horses led as victims to its pedestal, offerings to the Sun. But where is the course ? From the stand you can look right down the C'orso. and see it paved with a moving mosaic of heads. Clear the course ! Ah ! here are the National Guard. They form lines at the hoarding of the stand, and march two deep up towards the Coiso, pushing all before them. Others meet them from the Capitol, and the stream of people is plastered up against the houses, leaving a narrow channel some ten or fifteen foot broad comparatively clear. Up this nine horses are expected to run'abreast. Bang goes another gun, and an >ther. The gates, opening into the space enclosed by the stands, are thrown wide ; there is a rope drawn taut from side to side. In an instant, before you are aware, the horses cuter the lists, rearing, plunging, kicking. One or two breast the rope. It falls. They rush forward irregularly. Some have not time to pass the gate. They are gone. The crowd yells. A man, one of the grooms, is left lying insensible on the ground, kicked ou the head. Such is the picture of the start; no start at all, but a scramble, confusion, worse confounded. The horses got off in single file almost, and some never came to the post at all. Would yoii see the finish? Come to-morrow, and take a seat on the stand in the I’iassa Venesih. Ghat narrow- street there, in the same line with the Corso, is the Ripress die Barberi, called so because the Barberi are stopped there. Across it, see, a hit of canvas is drawn, and from its ends tw-o other bits meet, foaming a triangle. Behind us are the Fire Brigade and a Legion arc playing alternately. In front the clearing of the course is going ou. A porpentous being, the Col. Henderson of the Italian force, is clattering up and down, now to this official, now that, pulling his horse up ou its haunches and turning it every instant. In aid oat of the curtain bobs a miniature beefeater, in a livery of gold and scarlet. He is the clerk of the Corso, or the Judge ' Clerk maybe. Boys are climbing up the iron gratings of the palaces, and being pulled down. Women, with characteristic waywardness, borMnos in arms, are the last to get out of the way, Clear the course? here they are—the Barberi ? And, on my honor it is a race! There arc tw-o neck and neck, and just upon the post, one gets bis nose in front of the other. The miniature beefeater must give this “won by a short head.” In the last stride the grooms catch at the halters of the horses. The old’un’s pall up of their own accord; but one dashes at the curtain and falls headlong in the triangle. Once again I went to see the Barberi, and that was on the last day of the Carnival. This time I got into the paddock, not to see them saddled, but to look at the Iriboli and rattles, which goad and spur the poor beasts along. I stood in a stable before two of the runners, Nos. 2 and 3 ; 2 and 3 were painted big upon their shoulders and quarters. The owner of No. 2 was there, and complained that last year bis horse had won for him two races, but this year none. 2 stood trembling all over, but 3 was quiet enough. I asked if the race was really as cruel it had been described, and was answered that the horse had already run seven nights and hadn’t a mark on her. Under the leaden balls that are set with points are pads of leather, glued into the coat, and by some arrangement these and the rattles that hang upon the haunches are loosened at the moment of starting by the pulling of a single cord at the halter. IVhen the guns Jwere fired my model shivered. He knew that time was up. They were led out by two grooms apiece, and joined by seven rivals in the yard. I saw amongst them no such screws as I anticipated. They were led towards the obelisk and the rope'in the order of the numbers, plunging most of them furiously. Now the gates are flung back. Now those who can get in do, those who can got off do. The rope falls at hap hazad. Four horses are left behind.