22 THE ASS. 



America, although the climate, in some parts of that continent, 

 is as congenial to their nature as that of Asia or Africa. Those 

 which the Spaniards carried thither from Europe have greatly 

 multiplied, and, in some parts, run wild, and are taken in snares, 

 like the wild horses. The manner of hunting the wild asses, in 

 Quito, is this : A number of Spaniards, or Creoles, on horse- 

 back, attended by Indians on foot, form a large circle, in order 

 to drive them into a narrow compass. Then, riding at full speed, 

 they throw a noose over them, and having secured them with 

 cords, leave them until the chase be over, which sometimes lasts 

 three or four days. These asses have all the swiftness of horses, 

 and neither declivities nor precipices will stop their flight. When 

 attacked, they defend themselves by kicking and biting, without 

 ever slackening their pace. From this description of the ass- 

 chase, given by a celebrated Spanish writer, it seems that hunt- 

 ing the wild horses and asses, in South America, must afford 

 better pastime to a sportsman, than hunting the hare or the fox 

 in Europe. 



It is very remarkable, that the wild asses, when taken, after 

 carrying their first load, lose their dangerous ferocity, and soon 

 contract the stupid look and dullness which we observe in the 

 rest of the species. It is also observable, that they will not 

 suffer a horse to live among them. If a horse happens to stray 

 into a place where a herd of them is grazing, they all fall upon 

 him, and bite and kick him to death. 



Even in the tame state, the ass will occasionally manifest great 

 courage, and even fierceness. Mr. Pennant tells us, that he 

 was witness, at les combats des animaux, the theatre, or bear- 

 garden of Paris, to an extraordinary instance of spirit and prow- 

 ess in a tame ass, in a fight with a dog. The latter could never 

 seize on the long-eared beast, which sometimes caught the dog 

 in his mouth, and sometimes threw him under his knees, and 

 kneeled on him, until the dog at length fairly gave up the contest. 



History informs us, that there were no asses in England, in 

 the reign of Queen Elizabeth, so that their introduction into 

 this country is of recent date. In Persia, there are two sorts 

 of asses ; one slow and heavy, used for carrying burdens, the 

 other elegant in shape, and alert in motion, and kept for the 

 saddle. Some of these are sold as high as forty or fifty pounds. 

 Of all the countries of Europe, Spain possesses the best breed 

 of asses : some of them are from fifteen to sixteen hands high ; 

 and they have been known to sell for a hundred guineas each, 

 and upwards. 



But the asses of Egypt and Arabia excel even those of Spain, 

 in the gracefulness of their movements, and the nobleness of 

 their carriage. Their foot is sure, their step light, and their paces 



