24 THE MULE. 



excite in our minds a sentiment of compassion and benevolence 

 towards this inoffensive and useful animal. 



The Mule is an exceedingly hardy and useful animal, but not 

 a distinct species, being the offspring of the horse and the ass. 

 This quadruped is remarkably healthy, and lives above thirty 

 years. In Spain, persons of the first quality are frequently 

 drawn by mules, which are held in such estimation, that fifty or 

 sixty pounds is a common price for one of the best. This is not 

 surprising, when their utility in mountainous countries is well 

 considered ; for they are, beyond comparison, more sure-footed 

 than horses, and a person may travel with them in perfect secu- 

 rity in roads, where, to venture on horseback, would bring in- 

 evitable destruction. Their manner of descending the precipices 

 of the Alps, and the mountains of Spanish America, is extremely 

 singular. In these difficult and dangerous passages, the road 

 frequently lies between perpendicular or overhanging rocks on 

 one side, and frightful precipices on the other, from which, to 

 look down into the immense abyss below, is sufficient to strike 

 the traveller with terror and stupefaction ; and the narrow path, 

 winding along the side of the mountains, is in many places in- 

 terrupted with steep declivities of several hundred yards. These, 

 no horses whatever, can descend : mules are the only beasts of 

 burthen that are equal to the task. When they arrive at the brink 

 of one of those almost perpendicular descents, they stop short 

 without any check from the rein, and continue some time im- 

 moveable, seeming to ruminate on the danger before them, 

 trembling, snorting, and attentively viewing the road. Having 

 thus prepared themselves for the descent, they place their fore- 

 feet in a posture adapted to prevent a too great precipitancy, 

 and put their hind-feet together, drawing them a little forward. 

 In this attitude they slide down with great swiftness and wonder- 

 ful steadiness, like an experienced skater balancing himself upon 

 the ice. But in this dangerous moment, the rider must do nothing 

 but endeavour to keep his seat firm upon the saddle, and trust 

 his safety entirely to the mule ; for the least check of the 

 rein, or the least motion, would be sufficient to disorder the 

 equilibrium, in which case both must unavoidably be dashed to 

 pieces. Some mules, after having been much accustomed to 

 those dangerous journies, acquire a kind of reputation for their 

 safety and dexterity, which very much enhances their value. 



As there is only another animal of the horse kind, we shall 

 conclude this chapter with a short description of it. The ani- 

 mals of this tribe are, by naturalists, reckoned only three in 

 number, the mule being not a distinct species, but an hetero- 

 geneous production. Of these three, the horse is the most 



