A REMARKABLE BIDE.

Southland Times, Issue 1062, 25 November 1868, Page 2

A REMARKABLE BIDE.

♦ THREE HUNDBED MILES IN FOTTBTEEN HOTJBS ELEVEN MINUTES. An old Australian resident, at San Francisco, sends us the following report : — He says, " I can vouch for the truth of it ; the bet was bona fide, and the distance was actually ridden on the racetrack, about six miles from fche city." He adds, "Is there anyone capable of performing the same feat in Victoria or Sydney ? If so, I would like to know." "One of the most remarkable rides ever performed, was accomplished at Bay View Park, on Sunday last, August 2nd, by N. H. Mowry, a young Californian, who rode three hundred miles in fourteen hours and eleven minutes. About a month ago a number of persons were at San Jose, when the conversation turned upon the subject of riding. One of the party said that young Mowry could ride further and faster than any man living, and finally offered to wager that he could ride three hundred miles in fifteen hours. The offer was declined, because the amount offered was too small. Finally, however, Louis Burns and John Cahill put up 2,000 dol against 2,250 dol by Edward Whipple, the latter wagering that Mowry could and would accomplish the feat. At first it was . proposed chat the ride should take place over the racetrack at San Jose, but afterwards Bay View race-track was selected, and Sunday, the 2nd of August, was fixed upon as the day. " For several days before the advent of the 2nd inst. Mr Mowry had been training for his ride. He had thirty horses taken to the Park stables, and rode each one around the track once or twice, for the purpose of familiarising it with the ground. And on Sunday morning, at twenty minutes before five o'clock, he began his ride on his own horse, which he rode four times around the track. The rider weighed about one hundred and sixty pounds ; he carried a canteen filled with water, and a small pouch containing a few sandwiches, which he calculated to eat during his journey. When the signal was given, the hardy rider mounted his horse, and raising his hat above his head, gave rein and was off. The horse broke into the gallop so

common to Californian horses, and continued it until it had gone round the track four times, when the rider changed it for a second. Some of the horses were ridden only once around the track, but nearly all of them were pushed around three times. During the first six hours Mr Mowry would dismount and mount the horses without aid, but during the after part of the day he was assisted by persons retained for the purpose. At the end of two hundred miles a placard was displayed from the judos' stand, stating that that distance i id been accomplished in eight hours, cwo minutes, and forty-eight second.-., a shorter than it had ever before been accomplished in. " Those who had wagered their money against Mowry felt convinced that hecould not hold out, for notwithstanding that he had accomplished two hundred miles, and had yet nearly seven hours to spare, they argued that every hour he remained in the saddle "was more fatiguing to him now than two hours at the beginning. They imagined that they could discover

marks of fatigue, and were jubilant, but not enough to be demdastrative. The rider was withdrawn to a convenient place and given a bath, which greatly refreshed him ; afterwards he mounted his horse and rode away as **ailv as if £ c wag | just banning. This enlivened his friends, who, however, never for a j moment doubted his ability to accomplish, the task. Finally, at eleven minutes before seven o'clock the ride, was completed, the three hundred miles had been ridden, aid that; too, in fourteen hours and eleven minutes— -a, fraction more than twenty one miles an hour. 1 '— * 'Australasian.'