Billy the dog was quite a celebrity in his day. He carried out his feat of killing 100 rats in twelve minutes on more than one occasion. He must have had very alert senses, because he had only one eye, which was lost to a rat! This probably explains why he was so keen to kill rats.
“_ On Tuesday night the 3d Inst., the Cockpit in Tufton-street, Westminster, exhibited an almost unparalleled scene, when the celebrated dog Billy, for a bet of 20 sovereigns, exhibited to a multitude, at least 2000, the chief part of whom were amateurs well known in the sporting cirlces. The match was, that this extraordinary dog would kill 100 rats in twelve minutes, and the bet was made by Mr. Dew, the proprietor; but bets to the amount of several hundreds were pending. The floor of the pit was whitened, and the whole of the rats at once let loose. Dew and Cheetham, eminent rat-killers, were the only persons admitted into the pit. The company were arranged in the gallery, and had a perfect view of the whole. The space which the dog had to exhibit in was 12 feet square. When let loose, he viewed them with an eager eye; but on time being announced and the signal being given, he went to work, and in seven minutes and a half they were all killed in heaps, amid loud cheers. The dog was decorated with fancy ribands, and 50l. was offered for him upon the spot. His master declined the offer, but offered to back him 50l. against any dog in England.”
The Stamford Mercury, 13th September, 1822.
‘Quinhus flestrum’ – We have been unable to find an exact translation for this phrase, but it is similar to ‘Quinbus Flestrin’ – a name given to Lemuel Gulliver and meaning ‘The Great Man-Mountain’.