SONG STRESS, WINNER OF THE OAKS, 1852. ZNGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY HARRY HALL. BY CASTOR. Songstress, bred by her owner, Mr. John Scott, the celebrated trainer, in 1849, was got by Irish Birdcatcher, out of Cyprian, by Partizan, her dam Frailty, by Filho-da-Puta, Agatha, by Orville. Birdcatcher, also the sire of Daniel O'Rourke, and noticed as such in our last number, will cover next season at Easby Abbey; his subscription at fifty guineas a mare is already announced as full. Cyprian, bred by John Scott in 1833, was herself an Oaks winner; but her career on the turf was not a lengthy one, having been drafted into the stud 1837. She produced in 1838 Miss Harewood, and since then--The Artful Dodger, Parthian, Joe Lovell, Newsmonger, Tom Tulloch, The Stinger, Susan Lovell, Cyprus, Frolick some, Songstress, Meteora, and Cypriana; the only blanks being, in 1844 a dead foal to Voltaire, and a miss in 1850. Songstress is a light yellow bay mare with white ticks over her, standing fifteen hands three and a-half inches high; she has rather a plain head, as well as a straightish neck, but with good shoulders, and is very deep in her brisket and girth: she has immense ribs and barrel, good back, a little short and drooping from the hip to the tail, which is set on low; she has powerful arms, and fair-sized bone, with not over large thighs, nor very good-looking hocks. Taken altogether, however, Songstress is a remarkably fine mare, as all were fain to admit who saw her on the Oaks day. PERFORMANCES. In 1851, at Catterick Bridge, Songstress, then two years old, ridden by Simpson, won the first year of the Third Easby Triennial Produce Stakes of 10 sovs. each, &c., colts 8st. 71b., fillies Sst. 3lb., straight run in, beating Lord Zetland's Lady Bird (2), Mr. Meiklam's Evadne (3), Lord Eglinton's The Sheltie (4), and Mr. Watson's Agnes Wickfield (bolted). 5 to 2 against Songstress, who won by a neck. At Ascot Heath, ridden by Templeman, she ran second to the Duke of Richmond's Red Hind, for the first year of the Third Triennial Stakes of 10 sovs. each, &c., colts Est. 71b., and fillies 8st. 4lb., T.Y.C.-Mr. Payne's Moulton Lass (3), Lord Exeter's Ilex (4), Mr. Powell's The Free-Trader (5), Mr. Marson's colt by Theon out of Rebecca (6), and Mr. Thompson's Denique, also ran. 4 to 1 against Songstress, who was beaten a length. In 1852, at Epsom, ridden by F. Butler, Songstress won the Oaks Stakes of 50 sovs. each, &c., 8st. 71b. each, a mile and a-half, beating Mr. Parker's Bird-on-the-Wing (2), Lord Zetland's Gossamer (3), Mr. Sargent's Kate (4), and the following not placed :-Mr. E. R. Clarke's Lady-in-Waiting, Mr. Copeland's The Lady Amyott, Mr. Payne's Glenluce, Mr. Pedley's Trousseau, Duke of Richmond's Red Hind, Mr. E. R. Clarke's Plumstead, Mr. Merry's Sally, Lord Westminster's Plot, Mr. Worthington's Racheté, and Lord Chesterfield's filly by Hetman Platoff out of Infidelity. 2 to 1 against Songstress, who won by a length. At Ascot Heath, ridden by F. Butler, she won the second year of the Third Triennial Stakes of 10 sovs. each, &c.; colts 8st. 71b., fillies 8st. 4lb., New Mile, beating Duke of Richmond's Harbinger (2), Sir R. Pigott's Filius (3), and Duke of Richmond's Red Hind. Even on Songstress, who won by a length. SUMMARY OF SONGSTRESS' PERFORMANCES. In 1851 she started twice and won once : The Easby Produce Stakes, at Catterick Bridge, value Songstress is thus engaged for the remainder of the season-first, with a penalty of 4lb., in the Great Yorkshire, at York, and Bay Rosalind, Claverhouse, Stockwell, Red Hind, King of Trumps, Alfred the Great, Augur, and others opposed to her. In the St. Leger, at Doncaster, against Claverhouse, Stockwell, Trousseau, Harbinger, Daniel O'Rourke, King of Trumps, &c.; and in the Doncaster Stakes with a good many of the same horses. She paid in this year's Easby Triennial at Catterick, in the Cestrian Stakes at Chester, in a Produce at Newcastle, and in the Lancashire Oaks at Liverpool. John Scott's own immediate success as an owner of race-horses has, in the great events, been chiefly confined to the fortunes of Cyprian and her daughter. He has, however, also won the Oaks with Industry and her daughter again-Lady Evelyn; as well as with Iris, The Princess, and Ghuznec. Of late years Frank Butler's monopoly of this race has been yet more remarkable. He won it last year on Iris, in 1850 on Rhedycina, in 1849 on Lady Evelyn, in 1844 on Princess, and in 1843 on Poison; the four years in succession being altogether unprecedented. The "extraordinary coincidences" connected with this season's Derby and Oaks, and we always have a few, may be thus summed up :-the sire of the winner of the Derby is also the sire of the winner of the Oaks, the trainer of the winner of the Derby also trained the winner of the Oaks, the jockey who rode the winner of the Derby also rode the winner of the Oaks, and the same black jacket and black cap which Mr. Clarke announced as winner of the Derby he also declared as the winner of the Oaks. EXTRACTS FROM MY SPORTING JOURNAL IN THE 66 SOUTH. BY THE AUTHOR OF SCENES AND SPORTS IN FOREIGN LANDS," &c. No. III. THE "BAG" KAFFIR; OR A MELTONIAN IN THE "BUSH." "Upon the Chumie's banka There dwelt a pilfering race, well trained and skilled Their only substance-feuds and war their sport." There is certainly amongst naval and military men, a sort of free-masonry, such as exists not in other classes of society; and this mystic tie, is the more readily rivetted, should these followers of Neptune and Mars be likewise votaries of Nimrod and Diana. If a man happen ever to have belonged to the same ship or regiment, to which appertains the naval and military stranger seated opposite at a table d'hôte or mess table; if by the casual turn of the conversation it should appear that you have both visited in common, the same remote quarters of the globe --both followed in pursuit of a walrus or polar bear, amidst the arctic regions of the north, or tracked an elephant or tiger through the stifling jungles of the tropics-a "commonality" (to coin a word) of recollections, ideas, and acquaintances, instantly arises, which serves in most cases to establish a friendly intimacy on the spot. 66 Did you know Fitz-Mortimer of the ?" inquired I of Captain Johnson, my vis-à-vis at the Parkhurst Mess, who had just asked me to take wine, and who I learnt was an old campaigner in the Kaffir war of 1846, '47, and '48; "he was for a short time in India in the same corps with Jones and myself. Didn't like the country; had a good deal of tin, and paid highly for an exchange into a regiment at home, where, just as he had made himself comfortable-and, as I understand, bought three or four hunters, and commenced a sporting campaign in Leicestershire his new regiment was ordered out to the Cape, where, perhaps, you fell in with him during the last war?" "I remember him perfectly," said Captain Johnson. "I was at the time with the force stationed at Block Drift when Fitz-Mortimer joined the head-quarters of the then at Fort Beaufort. We had concluded a short truce with the Kaffirs, during which I had obtained leave to spend a few days with my old friends of the at the latter place, where I was first introduced to Fitz-Mortimer." "And what sort of fellow was he then ?" asked I. "Why," replied Captain Johnson, he was considered rather a conceited chap at first-always talking of his Leicestershire hunting and so forth however, they soon gave him his bellyful of hunting-on the frontier, and so completely took the conceit out of him, that from the date of the occurrence I allude to, he never more talked of his hunting or hunters, and became a great favourite with his regiment-of which he was soon considered one of the very best fellows." "I should like much," observed I, "to hear how Fitz was cured of his greatest failing; and, if not exacting too much of your good-nature, perhaps you would relate the story." "With pleasure," replied Captain Johnson; "but as it is a long yarn, we had better wait till the cloth is removed." "Now, Johnson," said a grey-headed veteran captain, as we closed on the fire, round a cosy horse-shoe table-" now for your recipe for curing young gentlemen of their conceit. And," added he, looking very significantly at one or two young Ensigns, "let the rising generation listen, learn, and carefully digest the same." 66 at "Well," continued Captain Johnson, whilst he helped himself and passed the wine, as I was observing, a truce had been concluded with the Kaffirs; and heartily tired of the heat and glare of the camp at Block Drift, and glad to have once more the luxury of a roof over my head, I had come to spend a few days with my friends of the Fort Beaufort, where Fitz-Mortimer (who had somehow or other managed to stop behind, when his regiment was ordered out) had lately arrived, and was astonishing the natives by unceasing accounts of his Melton Mowbray' performances in the chase. He so completely sickened us of the subject, that we resolved to silence him if possible, and give him at the same time, some specimen of South African sport. But as in those troublous times we had not an opportunity of trying his nerve with either hippopotamus, lion, or buffalo shooting, it was determined that we should at all events endeavour to get a 66 rise" out of him at any price. Since the commencement of the war, the Beaufort foxor rather jackal-hounds had been suffered literally to go to the dogs.' The kennel was broken up; there was no one to look after them; and the poor devils stalked like so many hungry skeleton ghosts about the place, eagerly looking out for whatever they might devour. Well, we collected five or six couple of these unfortunates, supplied them for a day or two with lots of grub to give them a little strength, and concocted amongst ourselves the scheme of running a rather novel sort of drag, taking in several of the most awkward crossings of the winding Kat river stream, and other little tit-bits' of fencing, for the especial benefit and edification of our Leicestershire friend. Just as we had matured a well-concerted plan, we learned that Macomo (the celebrated hard-drinking Kaffir chief), whose grog' had necessarily been stopped since the commencement of the war, had, under cover of the truce, sent in a messenger to Fort Beaufort to obtain a supply of spirits from the Canteen. "It was not the first time that this Mercury had been employed on missions of a similar nature. Before the breaking out of the war Macomo, with some half-dozen of his queens and princesses, would occasionally come to the Fort to have a carouse at the Canteen. These revels sometimes continued for two or three successive days; but always ended by their taking leave, in a most happy state of oblivion, as to the cares and sorrows of this sublunary world-Macomo, like old Silenus (but instead of a donkey, generally mounted on a piebald horse) heading the bacchanalian procession; his queens, wives, and concubines, all in the same happy state, following bare-backed en cavalier, on ponies or oxen, and bringing up the rear. Under such circumstances, the Court of the African monarch, and the state of the great chief himself, would no doubt have given abundant cause of moralizing, to the advocates of the 'pure, simple, and nomadic Kaffir race,' to the members of the Temperance Society, and to the worthy Father Matthew himself. Sometimes, however, the son of Gaïka* preferred getting quietly drunk in his own kraal; and in such cases a swift messenger would be despatched to Fort Beaufort, in breathless haste, for the requisite supplies. This fellow, who went by the name of Will-o'-the-Wisp,' but more commonly by that of Kaffir Bill,' had from the frequency of such missions, become well known at the Fort, and had in the course of his numerous enterprises picked up a few words of English from the soldiers in the Barracks and Canteen, whom he used often to amuse by feats of activity, and a most wonderful display of speed. 6 "Well, just as we had concocted all our plans for giving Fitz-Mortimer a specimen of a South African run,' Will-o'-the-Wisp made his appearance at the Fort, to procure a supply of liquor for his thirsty chief. A bright thought suddenly struck one of our sporting party, to whom it occurred that Kaffir Bill might be made subservient to our designs. He was accordingly forthwith summoned, and promised a bottle of brandy on his own account, provided he could escape with it across the Chumie from our pursuit,-being allowed a couple of miles of start. Bill' was given distinctly to understand that we would follow him on horseback, that if overtaken the brandy would be seized, and that therefore he had better make for his kraal on the other side of the River, at his very best pace, and by the shortest and most difficult road he could. 66 Gladly acceding to these terms, he was led by one of our party to a spot about two miles distant, situated on a rising ground, which was visible from the Fort; and was there slipped from the leash, with a profuse sprinkling of spirit of aniseed over his kaross. On the signal agreed upon, Fitz-Mortimer was summoned forth, duly mounted on the hardest-mouthed and most fiery, unmanageable brute in the whole corps, and we all cantered forward, followed by our lean and hungry-looking pack, which failed not to elicit on his part, expressions of unqualified contumely and unconcealed contempt. In fact the appearance of the whole turn-out contrasted strongly with that of our Leicestershire' friend, and seemed to give him no small degree of satisfaction at our expense. His smooth and shining castor set jauntily side, was fastened by an elastic' (tipped with a fox's tusk) to the button-hole of a resplendent pink,' of the newest and most fashionable cut; the elegance of his tie;' the unsullied beauty of a waistcoat profusely ornamented with foxes' heads, and whose dark ground was advantageously set off by his white unmentionables,' made apparently of some soft comfortable sort of woollen stuff: the well got up' top-boots of highly-polished leather; the very brightness of on one Both Macomo and Sandilli are sons (by different mothers) of the Kaffir chief Gaika; but the latter, although the younger of the two, takes precedence in con. sequence of the superior rights of his mother Sutu, the great wife of the former chief. |