A REMARKABLE RIDE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 162, 18 November 1868, Page 3

A REMARKABLE RIDE.

4. THREE HUNDRED MILES IX FOURTEEN HOURS ELEVBN MINUTES. An old Australian resident at San Francisco sends us (Argas) the following report:— He says, " I can vouch for the truth of it ; the bet was bond fide, and the distance was actually ridden on the race-track, about six miles from the city." He adds, "Is there anyone capable of performing the same feat in Victoria or Sydney ? if so, I would Hke 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 2000dol. against 2250d01. by Edward Whipple, the latter wagering that Mowry could and would accomplish the feat. At first it was proposed that the ride should take place over the race track 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 to ride on his own liorse, which lie rode four time 3 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 around the track four times, when the rider changed it for a second. Some of the horses were ridden only once round the track, but nearly all of them were pushed around three times. During the i first six hours Mr Mowry would dismount and mount the horses without aid, but during the after part of the day he was assisted hy persons retained for the purpose. At the end of two hundred miles a placard was displayed from the judges' stand, stating that that distance had been accomplished in eight hours, two minutes, and forty-eight seconds, a shorter time than it had ever before been accomplished in. " Those who had wagered their money against Mowry felt convinced that he could 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 so to be demonstrative. 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 gaily as if he was just beginning. This enlivened j his friends, who, however, never for a moment doubted his ability to accomplish his task. Finally, at eleven minutes before seven o'clock the ride was completed, the three hundred miles had been ridden, and i that, too, in fourteen hours and eleven mm!- ! utes — a fraction more than twenty-one miles I an hour."