274 HOUSE AND MAN. 



The tail being tied up as here shown, it remained 

 nearly perpendicular whether the horse stood or lay 

 down. 



Any of my readers who have ever suffered from 

 a cut finger may form some idea of the agony which 

 the horse must have endured while these wounds 

 were being healed. The natural tendency of a 

 wound is to contract in course of healing, and even 

 during that natural process a considerable amount 

 of pain is suffered. What it must be when the 

 mouths of a series of wounds are kept mechanically 

 torn apart we can scarcely imagine. 



Some years ago, in the course of a lecture de- 

 livered at Cheltenham, I described this process, and 

 illustrated the description by sketches on my black 

 canvas. There were some very decided expressions 

 of natural incredulity among the audience, several 

 persons being unable to believe that such cruelty 

 could have existed, and thinking that I had been 

 imposed upon. 



After the lecture was finished, a venerable, white- 

 haired and white bearded gentleman came on the 

 platform and asked leave to say a few words. He 

 was evidently well known, as his appearance was 

 greeted with loud applause. He said that he had 

 heard some persons expressing disbelief, but stated 

 that when he was a boy he had seen the operation 



