j^o6 Experiments of the Baron Munchaufen, No\S 



of each might be fatisfied, and their mutual ohje(ftlons filenced, 

 if only a fulBciency of each kind of wool-bearing animals could 

 be made to fubfill on your lands, to fuvniih fuch ahuiulance of 

 each kind of wool, as fhould fatisfy the demands of their lei- 

 pevftive patrons. But, as your lands fit for the purpofe, are 

 already pretty fuihciently {locked with flieep — excerpting, indeed, 

 your Englifh commons, which I underftand to be kept facred 

 i'orgeefe, in commemoration of their having once faved the capi- 

 tol of Rome — tlie diihculty recurred as to the polhbility of 

 multiplying the quantity of wool-bearers. A thought once 

 occurred, of fubfiituting the Llamas, or fheep of Peru, for 

 your ufual beafts of burden : this, however, foon gave way to 

 to a fuperior projecl, fmce followed up in practice ; which was, 

 the contrivance of making your horfcs bear a crop of wool, iur 

 ftead of hair, upon their Ikins. 



For this purpofe, 1 caufed a foot fquare of fkin, to be neatly 

 flayed from off one of my horfes ; which was inftantly replaced 

 by an equal portion of Ikin, warm from a fheep's back •, the' 

 feams were conne^led by proper futures, and the whole covered 

 with a fuitable plalter. And I found, at the end of nine weeks, 

 that the old and fupplementai fkins had become perfe611y conti- 

 nuous, and equally adherent to the flefh beiow. 



Being fcmewhat cautious, in an experiment entirely new, how- 

 ever much juflified by the analogy of nature, I durft not ven- 

 ture upon a continuation of the procefs, till after the lapfe of 

 confiderable intervals of time : Suffice it to fay, that in the fpace 

 of two years, by repeating the operation, I fucceeded in clothing 

 my horfe in (lieep fkin, completely from head to foot. I after- 

 wards, killed my horfe, in order to afcertain the eire^t of the 

 adtion and readion of the flieep-ikin on the horfe- carcafe, and 

 of the carcafe upon the fkin, in producing a mutual inter- 

 communication of their refpeclive properties. As, belike, few of 

 your readers have, like rayfelf, had the opportunity of regaling 

 upon horfe fledi, with the I'artars, it would be impoffible for me, 

 to convey to them any dillin6t conception of the peculiar reliih of 

 my horfe-mutton ; I ihall only fay, that I believe it fuch as would 

 prove exquifitely agreeable to mofb palates. The pellet ap- 

 proaches moll: to the nature of horfe hide; only, I believe, to 

 make good tanned leather of it, it might require a liquor of a 

 fomevvhat ftronger impregnation of tar. The wool, I found to 

 be of the coarfer kind, approaching fomewhat to the nature of 

 hair-, and probably, more peculiarly adapted to the manufadlure 

 of camclots. 



In confcquence of fucccfs, I have grown bolder in my expe- 

 liment ; and againft next fcafon, 1 propofe to Hay a horfe at 



once, 



