146 HORSE AND MAN. 



trod on an upright and broken stump, and ran a 

 splinter so deeply into the sole of his foot that 

 the point could just be seen as a dark spot under 

 the skin of the instep. He could not afford to stop, 

 so he continued the chase, killed his quarry, and 

 carried it home, a distance of some two miles. He 

 then cut down upon the broken splinter, so as to ex- 

 pose the end, and pulled it out with his bullet-mould. 

 In three or four days his feet were all right again. 



The late Charles Waterton, in his ' Wanderings 

 in South America,' invariably went barefooted, just as 

 the natives did. 



The rapidity with which Nature will enable the 

 tender feet of civilised man to be as tough as those 

 of the savage is really wonderful. A year or two ago 

 there was a fashion for families to go to the seaside, 

 and walk about all day without shoes. At first the 

 experience was rather painful, even upon tolerably 

 smooth ground. But, before the time of the visit 

 had nearly expired, ladies and children could be 

 seen tramping on the shingle, or clambering over 

 sharp-edged rocks, with perfect ease, though at first 

 each step cost a separate pang. 



Quite as remarkable is the completeness with 

 which the toughness of the foot disappears when 

 it is not required. Mr. Waterton afforded a curious 

 instance of this adaptability. He proposed to a 



