of North Carolina. 53 



ing up towards the Mountains, which, together with the 

 Beauty of the Country gave us no small Satisfaction. 



The Horses are well shaped, swift, and generally about 

 thirteen or fourteen Hands high, they are durable and will 

 travel incredible Journies. They are never shod, partly by 

 reason of the softness of the Ground, which is covered over 

 with Grass, without any Gravel or Stones ; they have few or 

 no distempers amongst them as in European Countries, such 

 as Spavin, Splint, Ringhones, and the like ; they are seldom or 

 never blind, and generally live twenty Years or more, most 

 commonly dying of old Age. If there were but good Stallions 

 and Mares sent here from England, or any other Parts, we 

 could not fail of a good Breed in a short time ; the Country 

 and Pasturage being so proper for that end. 



The Planters are the worst Horse-masters I have ever met 

 with, for few or none allow Corn to their Horses after long 

 Journies, for they frequently tye them to a Tree for Hours 

 together, and sometimes for a Day or two without any manner 

 of subsistance, from whence it sometimes happens that they 

 break loose, and take into Woods, where they remain for 

 Weeks together, with the Saddles on their Backs, before they 

 are found out, and had not they been such good Drudges as 

 they are, there would be but few in this Province, with the 

 bad usage they give them. 



The Horses which they keep within the Inclosures, and 

 some times feed with Indian-Corn, are rendered very durable 

 for Journies and Hunting in the Woods. I hope it will not 

 be improper here to give the Reader an Account how they 

 take the Wild Horses in the Woods, which is as follows. 

 The Planters generally, two or more hunt on Horseback in 

 the Woods together, and as soon as they espie a wild Horse, 



thev 



