THE ETON STUD. 165 



docks were a number of foals, pretty, agile, fawn-like crea 

 tures. They came around us dancing and capering, catching 

 our knapsacks with their teeth, then springing off, and coming 

 back again, like dogs at play. The mares, fillies, and colts 

 were all of dark bay colour, but one, which was dark iron- 

 grey, nearly black. 



Just as we left the colts, a great cart-horse, belonging to 

 the marquis, was passing on the road. The contrast was 

 wonderful. He was seventeen hands and one inch high (with 

 in a trifle, six feet), and putting both my thumbs to the 

 smallest part of his leg, I could not make my fingers meet 

 around it. 



From the paddocks we went to the stables to see the 

 stallions. They were all loose boxes (no stalls), thirteen 

 feet by sixteen, some with rack and manger across the side, 

 some with the same in a corner. Touchstone is a magnificent 

 creature, beyond conception. It is impossible to imagine 

 such high condition, indicated not less in the happy and spir 

 ited expression and action, than in the bright, smooth, supple, 

 and elastic feel of his skin. I never saw any thing to equal 

 it in America ; and it was nearly as remarkable in the mares. 

 Five thousand guineas (over $25,000) have been offered and 

 refused for Touchstone.* Springy. Jack is a younger stallion ; 

 by Nutting esteemed even higher than Touchstone. Nothing 

 in the world of animal life can be finer than the muscular de 

 velopment of his neck. Touchstone is a little coarse in the 

 withers. They were intending to put him in pasture the next 

 week, and in preparation for it, he had some fresh grass mixed 

 with hay to eat. He stood in a deep bed of straw, and 



* Mares are sent here from all parts of the kingdom, to be served by 

 Touchstone, perhaps the most esteemed stock-getter in England. He is 

 allowed forty in a year, and the charge is $150 to $200, and $2.25 a week 

 for pasture. 



