They Both Showed Great Pluck, And Fought Probably
Better And Longer Than Their Masters Would Have Done.
Whether,
in the end, it was the white or the red that beat, I do not recollect;
but, whichever it was, he strutted off with the true veni-vidi-vici look,
leaving the other lying panting on his beam-ends.
This matter having been settled, we heard some talk about "caballos"
and "carrera" and seeing the people all streaming off in one direction,
we followed, and came upon a level piece of ground, just out of
the town, which was used as a race-course. Here the crowd soon
became thick again; the ground was marked off; the judges stationed;
and the horses led up to one end. Two fine-looking old gentlemen
- Don Carlos and Don Domingo, so called - held the stakes, and all
was now ready. We waited some time, during which we could just see
the horses twisting round and turning, until, at length, there
was a shout along the lines, and on they came - heads stretched
out and eyes starting; - working all over, both man and beast.
The steeds came by us like a couple of chain-shot - neck and neck;
and now we could see nothing but their backs, and their hind hoofs
flying in the air. As fast as the horses passed, the crowd broke
up behind them, and ran to the goal. When we got there, we found
the horses returning on a slow walk, having run far beyond the mark,
and heard that the long, bony one had come in head and shoulders
before the other.
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