CLIMBING POWERS OF THE HORSE. 25 



D had mounted about half-way up the precipice, 



he heard a scrambling sound beneath him, and on 

 looking down saw his horse in the act of following 

 him. 



The rock was very steep, but the horse could 

 climb it as well as the man. There was one part 



of the ascent of which Col. D sent me a sketch. 



In one place the rock projected into a sort of buttress 

 nearly smooth and perpendicular, and it was neces- 

 sary to work round it before reaching a firm foot- 

 hold. A narrow ledge ran round it, just wide enough 

 for the toes to rest upon, and, by means of clutching 

 with his fingers at any irregularity of the face of 

 the rock, the hunter managed to work his way round 

 the obstacle. 



To his great astonishment, he saw that the horse 

 was following the same track as himself, and had man- 

 aged to sidle round the buttress in exactly the same 

 manner. The horse reared itself upright, set the 

 toes of the hind feet upon the narrow ledge, clung 

 to the rock with the sharp-edged toes of the fore 

 feet, and so contrived to achieve the dangerous pas- 

 sage. Of course the animal was unshod. 



An admirable example of climbing power pos- 

 sessed by the unshod horse is given by Lady Florence 

 Dixie, in her work ' Across Patagonia.' 



' Soon our horses began to neigh and prick up 



