THE NARRAGANSETT PACER. 65 



and where, as is often the case, bridges seem doubtful, the 

 bottom of miry fords suspicious of quagmires, or the road other^ 

 wise dangerous, they will put down their heads to examine, try 

 the difficulty with their feet, and, when satisfied, will get 

 through or over places which seem utterly impracticable. 



Whence this peculiar pony breed of Canadians has arisen 

 cannot with certainty be traced ; it seems, however, to be almost 

 entirely peculiar to the Indian tribes, and, therefore, may havo 

 been produced by the dwarfing process, which will arise from 

 hardship and privation, endured for generation after generation, 

 particularly by the young animals and mares while heavy with 

 foal. Most of these animals have no recent cross of the Spanish 

 horse ; although some ponies approaching nearly to the same 

 type, show an evident cros of the Mustang ; and many animals 

 called Mustangs, have in them some unmistakable Canadian 

 blood. 



THE NARRAGANSETT PACER. 

 This beautiful animal, which, so far as can now be ascertained, 

 has at present entirely ceased to exist, and concerning which 

 the strangest legends and traditions are afloat, was, it may be 

 asserted with comparative certainty, of Andalusian blood. The 

 legends, to which allusion has been made, are two-fold ; or, 

 rather, there are two versions of the same legend ; one saying 

 that the original stallion, whence the breed originated, was 

 picked up at sea, swimming for his life, no one knew whence 

 or thither, and, that he was so carried in by his salvors to the 

 Providence Plantations ; the other, evidently another form of 

 the same story, stating that the same original progenitor was 

 discovered running wild in the woods of Khode Island. 

 $ 



