was

more used to my horse's mouth than my heels to his sides.

In speaking of travelling in America, an officer of the 70th regiment, lately quartered in Upper Canada, told me the other day that few people have any idea of the rate of winter-travelling by public conveyances in North America on sledges, or as they call them sleighs, drawn by four horses, and carrying eight insides, together with one on the box with the driver. Between Quebec and New York they average nearly a hundred miles a day, stopping for breakfast and lunch. They sleep all night on the road, resuming their journey very early in the morning, and halting about six in the evening, or earlier, for the night. They change horses frequently, the ground being hard frozen snow, on which the draught must be very trifling indeed. Abundance of very excellent food, and a good bed, await the traveller at each inn: though not served up with any of the refinement of some of ours in England.

I feel much flattered at the manner in which I find myself quoted by your excellent and most able correspondent Count VEL THEIM; whom I one day hope to have the pleasure of meeting in his own country, should chance direct my steps towards the North next year. As it is my intention to take a review of this year's racing in your Number for December, I shall postpone further remarks on his letter till that period.

So Mr. J. LAWRENCE is again, as he most delectably terms it, jumping a rejoinder; and, as usual, having exhausted himself in a vain

attempt to refute the new system of summering the hunter, has a quiet kick at me. Comparisons, they say, are odious; and to none do they seem more so than to Mr. J. LAWRENCE. This modern Duncius of sporting literature will be attended to, when the lucubrations of his friend Major Cartwright shall be adopted by Parlia ment (annual of course), and the reveries of Jerry Bentham be understood: and his mode of summering the hunter supersede that of NIMROD, when the fox-hunters of Leicestershire and the pheasant preservers of Norfolk exchange counties, but not till then.

Leaving this ungrateful subject at a distance, only brought on me by the irascibility of your worthy but sometimes mistaken old contributor, I pass on to the Few Lines of NIMROD. In reminding me of Mr. Knight's experiments in fillies, I have to add his reasons for putting so hazardous an experiment to the test. Among neat cattle, Mr. K. observed, that the male being rendered incapable of increasing his race approached nearly in form to the cow; while the sterile heifer came more nearly to that of the bull; and for working purposes being hardier than the

ox.

His idea was, that the same would take place with regard to the mare; and he felt confirmed in his opinion, by observing some of the best mares having turned out barren; citing Victoria as a strong instance in point. Mr. Charlton, partly convinced by his neighbour's argument, tried the experiment on two fillies, by Friday-one a sucker, and the other a yearling; they, however, soon died, and he consi

dered his other blood-stock far too valuable to again try the experi

ment.

Being as great an enemy to thin potations as ever Falstaff was, I can readily sympathise with NIMROD's unhappy plight at Abingdon. Something of the same kind occurred some years ago at a race ordinary at Hereford, when the late Duke of Norfolk was one of the party: his Grace, as well as the rest of the company, finding the so-called wine quite undrinkable, very quickly summoned the worthy host of the hotel, and filling him a half-pint bumper of the Day and Martin he had sent to the guests, addressed him gravely thus:

"Mr. B., the company and myself are so delighted with the exquisite flavour of the vintage, that we have drank your health, and have now sent for you to return thanks, and drink ours in return in a bumper." In vain did the culprit attempt to excuse himself: the Duke was perempoory: the poor wretch could only get down half of the precious liquid. He felt the rebuke; the obnoxious stuff was ordered away, and succeeded by the best wine in his cellar. I am sorry to hear that in merry England now, Abingdon is not the only place where sour "vin du pays," as it is termed in France, is substituted for good claret, which is an infamous shame. Very decent claret, at seven shillings a bottle, ought to be had at any inn-duty and the interest of the money included-and then afford a handsome profit to the landlord. But, thanks to Mr. Robinson, men may drink La Fitte or Chateau Margaux in their own houses at little more than five guineas a dozen, by importing directly from Bor

deaux. I mention this for the benefit of all thirsty sportsmen; and also, on the authority of a letter I lately saw from one of the first houses in Bordeaux, that this year's vintage will be superior, if possible, to that of last.

Cowes Regatta, which you have slightly touched on, under the head of "Aquatics," went off with the greatest eclat, notwithstanding the lateness of the season. Mr. Maxse, as your readers will have seen, was, as he always is in Leicestershire, first in the throng, though it required some persuasion on the part of his friends to induce him to enter for the Cup. Captain Lyons, of the Navy, who had assisted in building the Miranda at Itchin, not Southampton, came express (in her) from Guernsey, on purpose to assist in sailing her. Large sums were won and lost on the race, the Arrow being first favorite, and long odds offered against the Miranda. When only a few miles from home (the distance sailed being nearly eighty miles, including the tacks made by the different vessels), the Arrow had the temerity to cross the Miranda on the larboard tack, and had not Capt. Lyons taken the helm just in time, she must have been run down; as it was, the two vessels became entangled, and a scene of much violence took place from the excitement of the different crews, blows being interchanged. The gallant Sir James Jordon, who was on board Mr. Maxse's, had a narrow escape from a dreadful blow aimed at the back of his head by one of Mr. Wild's men with a handspike, as the two vessels were touching each other; he avoided the blow by ducking his head; and hitting out right and left, à la Spring, floored

Mr. Mytton's yel. b. Fly beat Mr. E. Lloyd's blk. d. Lottery.

Puppy Cup. Mr. Lloyd's blk.d. Marcus beat Mr. Mytton's red b. Ruby; Mr. Mytton's bl. and w. b. Catch beat Mr. E. Lloyd's blk. b. Linnet.

First Tie for the Cup.Blk. and w. Fly beat Lottery-Larkspur beat bl. and w. Fly, and won the Cup.

Puppy Cup.-Marcus beat Catch, and won the Cup.

Matches. Mr. Lloyd's blk. and w. puppy bitch Linnet beat Mr. Mytton's bl. and w. puppy bitch Catch-a severe course; Mr. Lloyd's blk. puppy dog Lascar beat Mr. Mytton's bl. b. Morel; Mr. Lloyd's bl. puppy dog Laughter and Mr. Mytton's fawn puppy bitch Ruby-undecided.

On Thursday, the Champagne Stakes was won by Cain, named by Lord Grey, beating Brutandorf, Longwaist, and Autocrat nine drawn.-Lord Grosvenor's br. f. Basilisk, by Blucher, won a Sweepstakes of 50 sovs. each, for three-year-olds, one mile and a half, against Mr. Mytton's b. c. by Rainbow, and his b. f. Louisa by Orville-three paid.-For the Halkin Stakes of 200 sovs. each, for three-year-olds, Little BoPeep, named by Colonel Yates, Sir T. Mostyn's St. David, and Mr. Mytton's Bowsprit started, and came in as named.The Hawarden Castle Stakes of 10 sovs. each, two miles, for all ages, was won by Paul Pry, named by Colonel Yates, beating Mr. Myt ton's Longwaist, Sir T. Mostyn's b. f. by Filho, and Mr. Stanley's Autocrat; three drawn.-Sharpshooter, named by Colonel Yates, won a Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 soys. each, 5 subs. beating Lord Grosvenor's b. c. Bradford three

not placed.-For a second Handicap Stakes of 10 sovs. each, with 20 sovs. added by the Club, four started, viz. Sir T. Mostyn's Invalid, 7st. 121b.; The Miller of Mansfield, 8st. 91b. named by Mr. E. Mostyn Lloyd; Sir W. W. Wynn's Wenlock, 6st. 121b.; and Mr. F. R. Price's Susan, 8st. 4lb. The first heat was won by The Miller, and the two last by Invalid.

DONCASTER RACES. (Continued from 386 of our last Number.)

CERTAIN whispers were abroad

that the sons of a Noble Peer

got hit hard by backing Bedlamite and the Dragon, and judging by what I saw, I incline to think the rumour was not unfounded. Time will shew the truth. It is certainly to be lamented both in a moral and national point of view, that gentlemen in the present day stand the gain and loss of such heavy sums, too often to the utter ruin of themselves, if the result is unsuccessful; and sometimes gaining, by one event, a sum infinitely beyond any expectations they justly ought to entertain from patrimonial estates.

Belzoni was purchased by Mr. Dilly for six hundred guineas, and at this moment, in truth, he costs nothing, having cleared the purchase by beating the Duke of Leeds's Masquerade colt on Thursday. Mr. Dilly was desirous of dividing the forfeits with the Duke, but so meanly was Belzoni thought of, by the Duke's people (judging by his running in the Leger), they declined the proposal-nay, jocosely talked of giving fifty pounds to Belzoni's owner to start him. Euxton, the property of the late Sir W. Gerard, was disqualified from starting, owing to the death of

his owner; he was brought to the hammer, and purchased by Mr. White for six hundred guineas. The St. Leger Course, by a judicious alteration, has been shortened about sixty yards.

The Corporation Plate was won by Mr. Holdsworth's Magistrate horse, His Grace, beating another of the Catton family, second, but the public mind had not got over the great excitement which the St. Leger occasions; and this race did not create any interest. The Renewed Doncaster Stakes was otherwise, there being twenty-nine subscribers, when Fleur de Lis, Acteon, Zirza, Brother to Jack Spiggot, Crowcatcher, and Lottery came to the post. Most of these horses were also named in the cup to be run on Thursday, and that being a great betting race, general expectation was on the alert: they came in as I have placed them. Fleur de Lis won quite easy. Her symmetry is perfect, and beyond all question at the present day she is decidedly the best mare in England. It is a little singular when Lottery does not come first, he almost invariably comes last; this looks a little like management, but his condition does not warrant his appearance at the post this season.

Wednesday being the general settling day, but few races were appointed. The business of the morning at the Rooms went off pretty smoothly-most men shewed and paid up. Of late years a system has been acted upon, which cannot be too much deprecated, and that requires reformation in the sporting ring. Men losing more money than they are able to pay, by making their peace with one or two of the principal legs, their creditors, are permitted to shew, consequently receive from

those who ought never in justice to pay. By this means opportunity is afforded them another year of making a desperate attempt at retrieving past losses, and if the thing comes off all right, the legs receive a further dividend, and the community is literally plundered; for payment with such people is foreign from their thoughts in the event of matters going against them. It therefore behoves the juveniles to be cautious with whom they lay out their money.

The racing on this day did not commence till nearly three o'clock. Fanny Davies beat Tickhill cleverly for the Foal Stakes, a mile and half; and the only grumbling I heard during the Meeting was, Why was not she started for the Leger?-she would have won or been thereabouts:-and after winning the Filly Stakes on Friday, the St. Leger Course beating eight others, the grumblers gave more vent to their complaints, especially as it was stated that the race was

run in the same time as the Leger. I did not time them, but I do not believe the assertion, nor do I think Fanny Davies would have had a place had she shewn on the great day.

Actæon and Florismart made as fine a race for the Doncaster Racing Club Stakes, two miles, as ever was seen. Florismart went away, as it appeared, rather against Clift's inclination: the veteran got him together very soon; they were close to each other till they reached the Red House, when Acteon got up to Florismart's head: it was neck and neck, and nothing but hard racing all the way home, Acteon winning by a head only. It was as fine a contested race, as any I have seen all the year.

The Alderman being entered for