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SECTION xn. 



SOUTH AMERICAN HOUSE HIS ORIGIN AND QUALITIES A\ EXAAII'LI!- 



HERDS OF WILD HORSES. 



THE South American Horses, both upon the continent and the islands, 

 are ahiiost universally of the Spanish breed, being descended from the 

 breeding stock carried over to those countries, bj'the first Spanish and 

 Portugueze colonists. Increasing beyond the demand of their masters, 

 these animals soon ran wild, and in countries of such vast extent and 

 fertility, and under a climate so congenial to their nature, they multi- 

 plied to such a degree, as to replenish all the desert parts with their 

 herds. Ceasing to be private property, the wild Horses have long 

 since ceased to bear any value beyond the price of their hides. As to 

 the qualities too of the South x'Vmerican Horse, the opinions of 

 travellers are various, but I know of none on \\ hich Ave can depend. 

 Some assert that he has degenerated, and ran into all sorts of auk- 

 ward shapes, the head being particularly large. We are not, how- 

 ever to suppose, that the original stock could be all perfect; some 

 were doubtless good, as are some of the present produce ; and cer- 

 tainly a skilful breeder would be able to raise good road Horses, and 

 Hunters, in any part of South America. 



Even so long ago as Sir Walter Raleigh's time, the south American 

 Indians killed the wild Horses of the woods, merely for their skins, 

 as well as the oxen ; the skins of the former are described by the 

 kniiiht, as beautifully marked and spotted with various uncommon 

 colours. 



* Within our own memory. Commodore Byron highly commends 

 such of these Horses as came Avithin his observation, during his tra- 

 \ els in the country ; and Don JJlloa goes so far as to assert, but he had 

 probably never been at Newmarket, that the boasted swiftness of the 



European 



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