SPORT IN CALIFORNIA.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 32, 13 August 1864, Page 3

SPORT IN CALIFORNIA.

A Californian newspaper (the Golden 'Era) relates the following laughable sporting event, namely, a tmll race, for the truth of which it v uch'es. It says : — " Many yeavs ago, the members of a racecourse near Brownsville, on the Mono .:ghela, published notices of a race, one mile heats, on a particular day, for a purse of 1000 dollar?, ' free for anything with four legs and hah 1 m .' A man in the neighborhood named Hays hu-u a bull that he was m the habit of riding to mill with his bag of corn, and he determined to enter Mm for the race. He said nothing about it to any one, but he rode him aronnd the track a number of times, several moonlight nights, until the bull had the hang of the ground pretty well, and would keep the right course. He rode w'tli spurs, which the bull considered particularly disagreeable; so much so, that he always bellowed when they were applied to his sides. On the morning of the race, Hays came upon the ground mounted on hisbull. ' Instead of a saddle he had dried an ox hide, the head part of which, with the horns still on, he had placed on the bull's rump. He carried a short tin horn in his hand. He rode to the judge's stand, and offered to enter his bull for the race ; but the owners of the horses objected. Hays appealed to the terms of the notice, insisting that his bull ' had four legs and hair on,' and that therefore he had a right to enter him. After a good efeal of swearing, the judges declared themselves compelled to decide that the bull had a right to Tan, and he was entered accordingly. When the time for starting arrived, the, bull and the horses. took their places. The horse-racers were out of humor at being bothered by the bull, and at the burlesque which they supposed was intended, but thought that it would be over as soon as the horses started. When the signal was. given they did start. Hays gave a blast with his horn, and sunk his spurs into the side of the bull, who bounded off with a terrible bellow, at no ; trifling speed, the dried ox hide flapping up and down, and rattling at every- jump, making a combination of noises that had never been heard on a race-coarse before. The horses all flew off the tract, every one seized with a sudden determination to take the shortest cub to get out of the' Redstone . I country, andnoue of them could be brought back time to save their distance.- The purse was, .'given to. Hays. A general , row ensued, but the ;fun ofthe thopg put the, crowd on the side of the, ibjulL', The horsemen contended that they were . swindled outof the purse, and if it had not been for Hays' 'iiorn and ox Ir.de, which he ought not. to have been permitted to haveb i r6ught'.bn. the ground, the thing would not have turned out as it ■did. Upon this Hays told them; that; his bull could beat any of their kovses stxiyko-w, a&f- if fl^ey pouldput 1000 doU^'^^st,the,-pipße;'he/;had Won, lie would take r 'off the' ox bide', arid leaye, the

tin hovn and run a fail' race with them. /"His oifev was accepted and tile money staked. "They again took their place at the starting post. Hays gave the bull another touch with his spur, and the bull gave a tremendous bellow! The horses went away again, and Hays galloped his bull around the track again, and won the money." „, . .. v . . ,