024 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



exercise of which they are passionately fond. 

 To steal the Horse of an adverse tribe is con- 

 sidered to be nearly as heroic an exploit as 

 killing an enemy on the field of battle ; and 

 the distance to which they occasionally travel, 

 and the privations they undergo on their 

 Horse-stealing excursions, are almost incre- 

 dible. An hidian who owns a Horse scarcely 

 ever ventures to sleep after night-fall, but sits 

 at the door of his tent, with the halter in one 

 hand, and his gun in the other, the Horse's fore- 

 legs beins: at the same time tied too-ether with 

 thonars of leather. Notwithstandino' all this 

 care, however, it happens very often that the 

 hunter, suffering himself to be overpowerd by 

 sleep for a few moments, awakes from the 

 noise made by the thief galloping off with the 

 animal. 



CAPTURE OF THE WILD HORSE. 



Captain Hall, in his Travels in Mexico and 

 Peru, describes the manner in which the 

 gaucho, or native of South America, takes the 

 wild Horse : — He first mounts an animal which 

 has been accustomed to the sport, and gallops 

 over the plain, in the direction where the wild 

 herd are, and circling round, by degrees, gets 

 near to one of them ; and as soon as he has 

 approached suflficiently near, the lasso is thrown 

 round the two hind legs ; and as the gaucho 

 rides round a little on one side, the jerk pulls 

 the Horse's feet laterally, so as to throw him 

 on his side, without endangering his knees or 

 his face. Before the Horse can recover the 

 sliock, the rider dismounts, and, snatching his 

 poncho, or cloak, from his shoulders, wraps it 

 round the prostrate animal's head. He then 

 forces into his mouth one of the powerful 

 bridles of the country, straps a saddle on his 

 hafik, and, lies( riding him, removes the poncho ; 



upon which the astonished Horse springs 

 on his legs, and endeavours, by a thousand 

 vain efforts, to disencumber himself of his 

 master. 



THE HORSE IN HIS NATIVE STATE. 



To have an idea of this noble animal in his 

 native simplicity, we are not to look for him in 

 the pastures, or the stables, to which he has 

 been consigned by man ; but in those wild 

 and extensive plains where he has been ori- 

 ginally produced, where he ranges without 

 control, and riots in all the variety of luxurious 

 nature. In this state of happy independence, 

 he disdains the assistance of man, which only 

 tends to servitude. In those boundless tracks, 

 where he runs at liberty, he seems no way 

 incommoded with the inconveniences to which 

 he is subject in Europe. The verdure of the 

 fields supplies his wants ; and the climate that 

 never knows a winter suits his constitution, 

 which naturally seems adapted to heat. His 

 enemies of the forest are but few, for none but 

 the larger kinds will venture to attack him ; 

 any one of these he is singly able to over- 

 come ; while at the same time he is content 

 to find safety in society ; for the wild Horses 

 of those countries always herd together. 



FRENCH HORSES. 



In France, Horses of the Bretagne breed, 

 are strongly made, and have generally black 

 hair, or brown bay ; and good legs and feet, 

 with a hardy mouth, and a head short and 

 clumsy. The Horses of Franche Comte are 

 said to have the legs of tigers and the belly of 

 a hind ; but they are short and thick, and of 

 the middle size, being much more proper ft)r 

 drawing than riding. The Horses of Gas- 

 cony are not unlike those of Spain ; but they 



