32 THE AMERICAN HORSE. 



killed. The next importation was that of De Soto, before 

 mentioned, to which is doubtless to be attributed the origin of 

 the wild horses of Texas and the prairies, a race strongly 

 marked to this day by the characteristics of Spanish blood. 



In 1604, L'Escarbot, a French lawyer, brought horses and 

 other domestic animals into Acadia j and in 1608, the French, 

 then engaged in colonizing Canada, introduced horses into 

 that country, where the present race, though somewhat de- 

 generated in size, owing probably to the inclemency of the 

 climate, still shows the blood, sufficiently distinct, of the 

 Norman and Breton breeds. 



In 1609, the English ships landing at Jamestown, in Vir- 

 ginia, brought, besides swine, sheep, and cattle, six mares and 

 a horse ; and in 1657, the importance of increasing the stock 

 of this valuable animal was so fully recognized, that an act 

 was passed, prohibiting its exportation from the province. 



In 1629, horses and mares were brought into the plantations 

 of Massachusetts Bay, by one Francis Higginson, formerly of 

 Leicestershire, England, from which county many of the 

 animals were imported. New York first received its horses in 

 1625, imported from Holland by the Dutch West India Com- 

 pany, probably of the Flanders breed, though few traces of 

 that breed yet exist, unless they are to be found in the Cones- 

 toga horse of Pennsylvania, which shows some affinity to it, 

 either directly or through the English dray-horse, which latter 

 is believed to be originally of Flemish origin. 



In 1750, the French of Illinois procured considerable num- 

 bers of French horses; and since that time, as the science of 

 agriculture has improved and advanced, pure animals of many 

 distinct breeds have been constantly imported into this country, 



