prepared to support by other testimony than my own, the declaration that anything so scandalous-so outrageously proclaiming "this Company's" utter contempt of its covenant with the traveller, and care for life and limb, I never witnessed in the whole course of my life, as the scene in the Doncaster Station of the Great Northern Railway exhibited on the evening of the 14th September, 1853...... The station for four hours, during which I was imprisoned in it upon that night-escape was out of the question-was in the undisturbed possession of a furious, desperate mob. The platform was from soon after six till close upon ten P.M. unapproachable, except under conditions that none but ruffians would risk. The instant (so the only official I saw during the whole of those four hours informed me) a train drew up to load, it was taken by storm-crammed by as many as could force their entrance, and the roof covered as thickly as if a swarm of bees were settled on it. This I saw myself; but I quote what was literally communicated to me by the porter of the line. As trains so capped could not pass under the tunnels, he told me that after moving them about a hundred yards from the station, they were stopped until the roof was deserted. Now I have no doubt of the truth of this; for almost every five minutes a train was heard-by glimpses seen to draw up; then a terrible rush, screams, imprecations; and it moved off, only to be succeeded by a repetition of a similar catastrophe. I myself picked fainting women and children, in imminent peril, from off the ground, or floor, or whatever it was, of the space between the booking-offices and the platform; and although in another portion of this paper I have dealt lightly with the approach to the terminus after the races on Wednesday, seeing the bad pre-eminence railways are entailing on their systems, I hold it meet to speak of this instance as it seriously was. Had life been lost on that occasion, no juryman, with experience of the facts, could in his conscience have dealt with the case as one of manslaughter. It is time grave cognizance were taken of the direction railway mismanagement is assuming...... Murder is dangerous merchandise...... Well, here we are, after all, safe and satisfied, and as noon is some time passed, let us take the short cut by" Wood's Hotel" to the common. There is not much shine, but the day is very genial. The ground is already well cropped, and the Stand is fast filling with its palmy populace. Lounging about, it was goodly chaff to overhear the lie direct, circumstantial, inferential, potential, and impotential, in animated circulation. It was, moreover, quaint subject of study to read the moral of a pleasure pageant, filled with faces that would compliment a funeral"What is this West Australian dodge?" As nobody knew, it must rest in the dim obscure. Preliminaries being put to adjustment, began the earnest issue. The first taste of the list's quality was a natch for a hundred, half-a-mile, between Cheddar and Senorita; they laid 4 to 1 on the gentleman, who won in a canter...... The Municipal Stakes, two years old, seven subscribers, was run a trio-4 to 1 on Boiardo! who did as Cheddar had just done. Now is the St. Leger on the carpet. Ninety-two nominations were there to it; and all the money to pay, go or leave it alone; the former being the election of half a score. -here they are!" Mr. Bowes's b. c. West Australian, by Melbourne **Lord John Scott's b. c. The Reiver, by Pantaloon Mr. Thelluson's ch. c. Rataplan, by The Baron "See ...F. Butler 1 .......... .... Mr. E. R. Clark's b. c. Mr. Sykes (h. b.) by Sir Tatton Sykes Lord Exeter's ch. c. Cobnut, by Nutwith Bartholomew O ..... Pettit 0 Templeman 0 ...Guppy 0 Maton 0 Duke of Bedford's ch. c. Sittingbourne, by Chatham Duke of Bedford's b. c. Feversham, by Chatham Mr. W. I'Anson's b. c. Balrownie, by Annandale Mr. Jaques's bk. c. Catspaw, by Birdcatcher Mr. J. Powney's b. c. Cineas, by Touchstone... 6 to 4 agst. West Australian, 5 to 2 agst. Sittingbourne, 7 to 1 agst. The Reiver, 7 to 1 agst. Rataplan, 10 to 1 agst. Cineas, 30 to 1 agst. Cobnut, and 50 to 1 agst. Balrownie. While they are doing various parade in presence of the company, does it not strike you as singular that mere boys should be entrusted to guide, goad, or restrain-as may be-steeds of supereminent renown in such encounter, and that a majority of the best jockeys in England should be "without a mount"? There is Rataplan, with Wells on him, a capital little fellow to finish; but then he is not much heavier than one of Grove's salmons: he rode 5 st. 11 lbs. for The Handicap, yesterday he is carrying to-day, at the least, three stone-dead weight! And " Guppy" don't read well in Pindarics; and-in short, where are?......let Echo answer why and wherefore they are not here. A better start there could'nt be. As soon as they settled to it, Cineas appeared to me to be leading, when Feversham pass'd him leading from the road to the hill. Up the rise Sittingbourne made the pace better: it was far from good, but quite good enough for the majority. How some of the leg department must have felt their throats too contracted for their lungs as they looked at Mr. F. Butler watching what was up-in a Rotten-row canter-among the thick of them!.... It don't matter a bean how they circumvented the Mile Post or the Red House. It was the universe to nothing at all, from the first stride, on one. This unit, whose name was "West Australian," went quietly by this Reiver-then collared that Rataplan then condescended for a moment to pretend to gallop-and went cantering in first by-" three lengths"-as my friend the Judge instructed me... Those who witnessed the Great Northern Stakes for 1853, saw, in the winner of them, probably the most perfect racehorse in all the characteristics and essentials of his kind that the world has yet known. I believe it the more I recall them and himto my mind's eye..... "The evaporation of a glorious day Is like the last glass of champagne-without So the sooner I say that "Pretty Miss Jacqueline," won The Doncaster Plate-I believe my back was most unpolitely turned upon her at the time-Goorkah Her Majesty's Plate-The General The Corporation ditto-and Era an economic Sweepstakes-the better for all parties. Finis coronet opus. It's to be hoped people may receive, and especially pay, or the antecedent goes for nothing... The details of Thursday were of little worth... Filbert put The Scarborough Stakes to the credit of Lord Exeter-and Acrobat, a small but wellfilled two-year-old Sweepstakes, to that of Lord Derby... The Cleveland, another handicap-"what business has it i' th' North ?"Catherine Parr carried off from eight small deer-Vixen, ditto the 10 sovs. ditto from ditto-and The Eglinton Stakes, for two and three year olds, with a small volume of conditions, Orestes won, beating half-a dozen out of the fifty-five entered. The Juvenile Stakes, for two-yearolds-as will be anticipated-a Miss Mary won-and so the day was done upon the ground.... Friday was the second gala of the tryst, and a lively one it was. The Don Stakes opened the sports-6 to 5 on Orestes-7 to 4 against Cineas, who made running from end to end, and went in first by four lengths. The Park Hill-The Northern Oaks-St. Leger Course, had twenty-eight nominations, and a field of eight. The best in the market, at 2 to 1 against her, was Lord Chesterfield's Boarding School Miss's Daughter: various prices being ventured about the others-5 to 1 against May Fair: this latter won, after indiscriminate changes and chances-quæ nunc prescribere longum-sit. The Doncaster Stakes-Sittingbourne with 5 to 4 on him-Balrownie won, beating The Duke's big chesnut; and why not, seeing how he beat him on Wednesday? The Doncaster Cup was run a quartet. West Australian "would'nt have it," tho' he condescended to walk over for a Two Hundred Sovereigns Sweepstakes-thirteen subscribers-half-forfeit. They laid 6 to 4 on Hungerford, which he acknowledged by winning in a canter! The Nursery Plate brought out a party of younglings to the number of fourteen. It was supposed Sister to Mary would win, which she did-3 to 1 being the odds she did'nt. The Town Plate-why do they wind up with a handicap? -a four-year-old by Melbourne, out of Sally Warfoot, won. So the curtain falls: "All the world's a stage.". The penultimate week of last month presented the sporting public with a dozen meetings in merry England. Who shall say 'tis a misnomer? Pontefract opened the bill of fare on Monday; a pretty place of tryst. Of the five races on the first day, the most grateful was the Gold Cup-literally "Benjamin's portion." Benjamin's portion." What a lucky borough that is once represented by the broth of a British trump-Gully; gamest of the game-and for a successor, by one who, profuse of philanthropy, lays cups of gold for the fêtes of his friends, in acknowledgment of the honour they have done him out of pure friendship. Balrownie won this goodwill-offering-5 to 4 against him. Rank and file at Doncaster appear field-officers at Pontefract. Passing the second day, and serving Teignmouth with the same sauce, every incident being in heats-some two, some three-we cast a look, neither long nor lingering, on Bedford, its two days. It was a good local amusement-volà tout, save that a row occurred on the last day, because of a brace of youngsters riding in a two-year-old stake, having, as it was objected against them, played false, of course for filthy lucre. As Admiral Rous pronounced it too unclean for his handling, the honour is reserved for the stewards of the Jockey Club....... Boston, another mess of heats; Dulverton pretty much the same. On Thursday, the 22nd, took place the first of Manchester's two autumnal days. Lots of running was ticketed, with plenty of customers in the market. Next year is to be "a stunner." The departed spirit of Heaton has appeared again-" about two miles distant from Manchester." The opening handicap, touching the wholesome avoirdupois of twelve stone, might have been "more honoured in the breach than the observance." Save and except that business was brisk, the principle of the turf did not predominate. The fields were t well filled as to quantity, but the quality was a moderate average. Canterbury was on at the same time; but we may as well take a peep at Leicester. This place has grown too little for its good luck; what racing is destined to come to, is as dark a social myth as the fate of the TurcoRussia rumpus. Wednesday having commenced quietly-they know how to begin in Leicestershire-with a walk-over, there came a twoyear-old stake, nine runners; won. by Twinkle; 2 to 1 on Era. Fortune understands her office: Baron Rothschild wins :- "Billy-in-thebowl" would be distanced in a leather plate with West Australian. In this race Count Batthyany had two; one hight The Star of Surrey the star of Surrey is The Star and Garter. Pretty Miss Jacqueline won the Leicestershire Handicap; Lord Chesterfield has title to the front rank in such a whereabouts. Hungerford won the Queen's Plate. It never rains-sixes-but it pours. The meeting ended with a protest against Audubon having won the Innkeepers' Plate, by knocking down a couple of posts that stood in his way. The principle involved is, was or was not the proposition of The Gordian Knot properly disposed of? About this time we find many strange names pervading the catalogues of jockeys; some considerable" bolting," "distancing, and a Ladies' Plate, in four heats-the ungallantest cut of all. "Last scene of all-descent of the baize, and exit of Lord Lovell-we finish with Abingdon: Three hurdle-race heats in September, won by Rein Deer, ridden by "Twiddy." Will "Twiddy" ever be a name endorsed by fame ? The season, a memorable one, draws towards its close haply towards its end. Already a step in the road which leads, as I hope and believe, to good fortune has been taken. More than one issue of eminent importance to the racing interest will come before the Jockey Club at the Newmarket final meetings for the year. That society, commanding as it so justly does the confidence and concurrence of all who have the honour and success of the English turf in esteem, will be called upon to adopt the character of both counsellor and friend. It is well for the greatest institution of popular sport in the world that it is presided over by those having both the will and the way to do it fitting grace and service. COCHIN CHINA FOWL (BLACKS). THE PROPERTY OF J. FAIRLIE, ESQ., OF CHEVELEY PARK, NEWMARKET. ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY HARRISON WEIR. The black variety of the Cochin-China is about the most uncommon of any yet exhibited. Several of these are importations, although, according to an authority," a large majority of those we have now in this country have been bred between the white and buff varieties." It appears, indeed, rather an extraordinary fact, that although connoisseurs in this kind of thing run so much after a colour, it is by no |