The Life of Yesterday 



know that it literally grew up with the coun- 

 try, and had been able not only to adapt itself 

 to the various changes as they took place, but 

 to progress with every change. So it could 

 hardly be said that this animal was not adapted 

 to its surroundings. And when horses were 

 introduced by the Spaniards and ran wild, 

 they increased and multiplied amazingly both 

 in North and South America. And yet the 

 several species of native horses which were 

 plentiful in various portions of the country 

 during the age of the mastodon and mammoth 

 seem to have, unfortunately, become extinct at 

 the very time they might have become of serv- 

 ice to mankind. 



It is interesting to speculate as to what 

 might have been the history of North America 

 had horses endured until the coming of man, 

 for the possession of these animals was not 

 only a factor in the conquest of the country, 

 but their existence had an important influ- 

 ence on the progress of civilization in the Old 

 World. Here the horse, ox, pig, and sheep 

 were unknown ; there was neither a beast of 



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