PEDESTRIANISM.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1775, 4 October 1862, Page 3

PEDESTRIANISM.

Exciting Rage fob the Ten Miles Champion Cup and £50. — Upwards of 2000 persons assembled at Hackney-wick on July 14, to j witness the race of 10 miles between S. Bar- ! ker and W. Lang, for £25 a side and the champion's cup, which had for some time past bee n held by Barker, he having in May last beaten W. Jones for it. In consequence of Lang being considered, hitherto, a shortdistance runner/one or two miles,). Barker was made the favorite, at 5 to 4, but the betting was anything but brisk, many thinking Lang could not get the distance. The race was set for 7 o'clock, and punctual to the hour th c men appeared on the course, Barker attended by W. Richards, who had trained him and Laug by G. Wyld. To complete the di • tance 68 laps had to be run. On the men taking up their positions at the mark, the pistol was fired, and Barker started off with the lead, Lang lying between two and thre© yards in the rear. In this manner thdy went along-, the pace not be*ng very good, until coming down the straight at the finish of the sixth lap, Lang improved the pace and went to the front, finishing the first mile about one yard a heao, and held the lead until bieasting the bill in the ninth Up, wheu Barker, amidst the cheers of bis friends, once more took up the running 1 , showiug the way by a couple of yards. These positions were maintained lap after lap and mile after mile, the pace being very good, and Barker doing his utmost to shake off his opponent, and, at tbe end of five miles, seemed ver) likely to accomplish it, for Lang looked distressed and very tired, and any odds were offered on Barker. Lang, however, kept manfully on aud gradually recovered, and at the finish of the eighth mile the excitement was great, for it was anybody's race. Going up the hill in the 58th lap, Lang went up to Barker's shoulder, evidently as {a feeler, and for a stride or two showed slightly in front ; he, however, quickly fell back and resumed his former position, both dashiag along at the top of their speed, and loudly cheered by their friends and partisans. As each round was finished the interest grew intense, and those who had laid long odds on Barker began to pull long faces. Thus the race progressed until reaching the top of the hill in the 68th and last lap, when Lang made a rusn and tried to take the lead. This, however, Barker would not allow without a struggle and for some yards they were shoulder to shoulder, and going stride for stride rounding the Pagoda, when nature failed Barker, for he reeled, and would no doubt have fallen had he not been upheld by his attendants. Laog kept on at tbe same pace to the finish, but as toon as the mark was crossed fell exhausted across the rails at the bottom of the course. Barker, after being led a short distance by his friends, became quite insensible, and remained ' so for some time. The time occupied, by La^gA , was 52m, 55fs. •■"#*• "^IH;