month; and on May 10, with still greater ease, despite a 7 lb. penalty, he defeated a very large field at Kempton in the Great 'Jubilee' Stakes. His next appearance was at Ascot, the course par excellence with which in men's minds his name is chiefly connected. How he was within an ace of being unable on this occasion to fulfil his engagements will be best told in Chandler's own words: 'On the Sunday night before the meeting at stabletime he appeared quite well, but upon going to him on Monday morning I found that he had not eaten up during the night, and he ate nothing till about three o'clock in the afternoon. I called in a vet., but he could not find out what was really wrong with the horse, but was of the same opinion as myself, that it was something in the mouth. After the vet. had left I thought I would try and find out for myself what was the matter, and my pains were rewarded by finding a large piece of broken tooth embedded in the gum. I succeeded in getting it away, and the horse was as right as possible afterwards.' Just one more instance of the value of a trainer's affectionate care, as against the perfunctory examination of the indifferent horse-doctor.

It all ended well, for Amphion had no difficulty in winning the Fernhill on Wednesday and the New Biennial on Thursday, the former race being made memorable by one of those outbursts of virtue to which the British public is occasionally prone.

Amongst the runners was a filly named Paloma, ridden by Rickaby, and belonging to Mr. St. Gatien' Hammond, who, forgetting as one must suppose that there was 501. for the second, forbade his jockey to occupy that position if he found he had no chance of winning. Although it was obvious that Amphion had the race in hand some way from home, it was equally clear that Paloma would be second, till Rickaby chucked her up. Then there was a row, many people averring that he had never tried to win, that they were readying the mare for the Cambridgeshire, &c., &c.; and, in fact, there was such a general demand for somebody to be hanged, that the stewards were almost compelled to carpet Mr. Hammond and Rickaby-and though in Calendar' language the latter was 'exonerated from dishonest intention,' he was also 'cautioned against pulling up his horse so rapidly,'. while the owner was at the same time cautioned against tying a jockey down with orders not to be second or third '—a practice which is as openly avowed as it is common-and 'further drew the attention of all handicappers to the race'-an unnecessary warning they were not likely to overlook the mare, and she had really no form at all.

Amphion's next performance, which was in the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood, was probably the most wonderful of his whole career, for he was second, beaten a neck by old Dog Rose-to whom he was giving 15 lb.—and he beat the four-year-old Noble Chieftain, who was third, three parts of a length, giving him 6 lb. Behind the three was a field of fifteen, some of them very smart, and all having on paper the best of the weights with Amphion. In the two other races for which he ran that year he failed to distinguish himself. He was beaten at Newmarket by Ormuz, to whom he was giving 25 lb.; and was nowhere, carrying 8 st. 10 lb., in the Manchester November Handicap won by Fallow Chat. At each of these places the ground was very sticky, and he always liked to hear his feet rattle.

The year 1890 fairly set the seal on his fame, though he was twice beaten in the spring, when at Sandown and Kempton he strove under impossible weights against Sainfoin and The Imp. He came out once more at Ascot in all his glory, for he again won the New Biennial; and on the last day made his maiden essay over a distance of a ground in the Hardwicke Stakes, when he won easily, giving 16 lb. to Surefoot and Sainfoin, the respective winners of that year's Two Thousand and Derby.

The story is old, but will bear repetition, of how on this occasion General Byrne silenced, if he did not satisfy, one of the thousand questioners who, before an event of any consequence, render almost unbearable the lives of men who have horses engaged therein. He had been ill and weak for some time, and was laboriously ascending the steps of the owners' stand, when he was hailed from below with Hi, General! can your horse give this weight away over the distance?' 'Gentleman' Byrne, as he was generally called, turned round and in his gentlest manner replied, 'That is precisely what I am climbing up here to see.'

What he saw must have pleased him greatly, and, as far as he was concerned, the meeting left little to be desired. It was, however, by no means so satisfactory to the stable generally, certainly not to Sir William Throckmorton, who had that year a mare called Albertine engaged in the Hunt Cup, where her weight was 6 st. 7 lb., and whom before Ascot he had tried with Amphion. The actual terms were:

and she beat the horse by three lengths, which would have been like putting him into the Hunt Cup at 8 st. 12 lb., when he would have looked like having a tremendous chance, though quite possibly he might not, after all, have beaten the winner Morion, who carried 7 st. 9 lb., and was a very great horse at the distance. At any rate, Albertine was backed with some freedom, and never even showed in the race; so it was then finally concluded that Amphion did not care about these home rehearsals, and I believe he was never tried again.

After the Hardwicke Stakes he was put by till the Manchester September Meeting, where he won the Lancashire Plate of 11,000 sovs., beating, amongst eight others, Memoir, who had just won the Leger. He was here giving her only 7 lb., but in the second October week at Newmarket in the Champion Stakes he beat her quite as easily, giving 12 lb. A.F., which was then more her cut than the shorter distance. Pity it is that he did not close his season with this victory; but in the Houghton week, never having been trained to go two miles, he was allowed over that much of the Cesarewitch course to try conclusions at 2 lb. with Sheen, probably the best stayer in the world, and who had a good dash of speed into the bargain; he made what trainers call 'a terrible mess' of the gallant chestnut.

In 1891, as a five-year-old, Amphion did not achieve any very sensational success, though he gave his owner the agreeable experience of crediting his account at Weatherby's with the March Stakes, Newmarket First Spring, the Rous Stakes at Ascot, and the Stockbridge Cup (a walk over). This should have been his last appearance, but once more the pitcher was sent to the well. It was, unwisely as we think, decided to run him with 10 st. 7 lb. on his back in the Royal Handicap at Leicester in September, when he was unplaced to Rusticus, also five years old, to whom he was giving no less than 3 st. 7 lb.!

General Byrne now made up his mind that Amphion should race no more. He retired that autumn to Hampton Court Paddocks, where he stood, with Brown, the boy who looked after him. during the whole of his Turf career, still in faithful attendance.

After the disposal of the Queen's stud in 1894, Amphion found fresh quarters at Gillingham. Amphora and Amphibia appear to be so far the best of his stock, now running its second season, and in such early days the most hardened prophet would hardly dare to predict success or failure for a stallion.

These things lie in the lap of the Gods.

SWIMMING AND LIFE-SAVING

BY THE HON. SYDNEY HOLLAND

It has always struck me as curious that though Englishmen are so fond of all athletic sports-though yachting, boating, and fishing take so prominent a place among our sports and amusements-yet that we are such very bad swimmers. True that at this moment we have J. H. Tyers and J. Nuttall, two of the fastest swimmers in the world-and it is also true that no other nation has produced a Captain Webb-still as a nation we swim far from well. When at Cambridge I could never find anyone who would swim the half-mile with me, and I doubt if there were twenty men at the University who could have swum half a mile. Rather not, I get so pumped!' was the answer always made to my invitation. Yet there is no exercise which, when properly learnt, 'pumps' one less or tires one less. After a fivemile race one's heart is not beating any faster than at the start, nor is one half so exhausted as after riding a bicycle up a steep hill.

I often talked with Captain Webb about his Channel swim, and he has told me that even after swimming for twenty-two hours his muscles were not very tired, and that it was weariness he felt more than exhaustion. We used to swim for two hours together twice a week when we were both training for some race. He was a slow swimmer, but swam in excellent style, which means he wasted none of his strength, and when I knew him he never swam anything but the breast stroke. If I remember rightly he never was any good at any of the side strokes, and he certainly swam the Channel on his breast. His was a plucky feat, characteristic of an Englishman, and I have always thought that a small monument should be erected on the beach at the spot where he started, and another where he landed. The Channel may be crossed again, but it is not very likely, as several good swimmers have tried and been beaten. Except for the pleasure of having to

look out the Hellespont in the map, Byron's swim (which is, I suppose, more or less an historical event, as it is alluded to by every distributor of swimming prizes who wishes to show his learning) should be forgotten, and never alluded to as a feat at all when compared with Webb's.

Men are pumped' because so few care to learn to swim properly, and are content to flounder and splutter about, thinking apparently that the faster they move their arms and legs, never mind in what direction, the more magnificent their swimming.

Swimming is a question of balance, and that is why when once learnt it is never forgotten. The mistake in learning is that to avoid breathing in water boys put their heads too far back, and

so keep their mouths too far above the surface. Nobody will ever swim well or with any ease till he has learnt that it is not necessary to carry his neck like a strangled giraffe. This strained attitude upsets the balance. You will see every good swimmer in the world swimming with his mouth under water till the arms separate, his body will thus be straight, very high in the water, and he will be balanced properly.

To learn to breathe properly means to learn to swim quickly and well. It is very simple; all that the tiro need remember is to breathe outwards as his hands go forward, and to breathe inwards directly his hands separate, which is the moment when his head is highest. I have found it useful, when teaching, to tell

NO. XII. VOL. III.

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