THE ASS AND THE MULE. 423 



In Sir George Staunton's account of Lord Macartney's embassy to China, we are told 

 that nuiles are valued in that economical empire at a much hij^her price than horses. In our 

 own country, prior to tiie war of the revolution, a lew Jacks of an ordinary kind were im- 

 ported — a small number of mules bred ; and all exported to the West Indies. I liavc refer- 

 ence to New-England, as I am not aware that any attention was paid to the system in the 

 Middle or Southern States, though it is not improbable that some valuable mules may have 

 been raised by the farmers and planters for their own use. When peace took place, the price 

 of mules in the West Indies excited attention to the breeding of them, which was principally 

 confined to Connecticut; and several cargoes of the small race of Jacks were imported from 

 the Cape de V^erd Islands, and St, Michael's, one of the Azores. It should be observed that 

 the exportation of jacks from Spain, or any of her colonies, was strictly prohibited, and con- 

 tinued to be until after the Peninsular war. There might have been, however, a tew smug- 

 gled Irom the Spanish part of Hispaniola into Cape Fran^fjis, and from thence introduced, 

 but they were vastly inferior to the Spanish Jacks. From this miserable stock a system of 

 breeding mules commenced, the best calculated to deteriorate any race of animals that has 

 been, or could be devised, since their creation. The purchaser of a Jack, when about to 

 coinmetice mule dealer, made little inquiry concerning him but of his capacity to propagate 

 a mule. He placed him in a district where there was the greatest number of mares of quali- 

 ties so inferior that their colts would not compensate their owners for the expense of putting 

 them to a horse, and contracted to purchase their mules at four months old. Those are kept 

 in herds, with precarious shelter in winter, having ample opportunities afforded them to 

 mature and transfer that propensity for kicking, which seems at first merely playful, into an 

 habitual means of defence, to be exercised when the biped or any other race of animals 

 approach them. In this kicking seminary they remain two years, and are then driven to 

 market. At subsequent periods, a few Jacks of higher grades were procured, from which a 

 small number of good-sized mules were bred, and a few of them broke. The breed of Jacks 

 has somewhat improved, and 7nul.e dealers are now located in most of the New-England 

 states and some parts of New- York. But the system as above detailed, with few exceptions, 

 has continued ; and it is from such a race of Jacks, and such a system of breeding and ma- 

 nagement, that the mules have been produced, with which the farmers and planters of Mary- 

 land and Virginia, and the Southern States, have been supplied from New-England; and 

 such have furnished a criterion for a great portion of our countrymen to form an estimate 

 of the value and properties of this degraded animal. 



On the share of the mare, in affecting the value of the mule, Mr. Custis says emphatically, 

 that General Washington bred nmlcs from "his best coach mares; and found the value of the 

 mule to bear a just proportion to the value of the dam. Four mules sold at the sale of his 

 effects tor upwards of §800, and two more pair at upwards of $100 each pair. One pair of 

 these mules was nearly sixteen hands high." — Now, although it be not here affirmed that 

 these " best coach mares" were blood mares, the fact may be very safely assumed that they 

 were deep in the blood, when we consider that the General himself was of the " race-horse 

 region," — a member and officer of the jockey club at Alexandria — sometimes acting as judge 

 of the race — fond of the turf and of the chase ; in which, according to one, of all merj 

 living, most familiar with his habits, he was " always superbly mounted, in true sporting 

 costume, of blue coat, scarlet vest, buckskin breeches, top-boots, velvet cap and whip with 

 long thong, he took the field at day dawn, with his huntsman Will Lee, his A-iends and 

 neighbours ; and none rode more gallantly in the chase, nor with voice more cheerly awak- 

 ened echo in the woodland, than he who was afterwards destined, by voice and example, to 

 cheer his countrymen in their glorious struggle for independence and empire." — Thus 

 mounted on his famous hunter Blue-skin, says the author of his yet unpublislied memoirs, 

 Washington was always " in at the death, and yielding to no man the honour of the brush.^^ 

 Beintr himself breeder and runner of thorough-bred stock, and well acquainted with the good 

 effect of a generous sprinkling of blood, as well for the road as for the battle-field, it may be 

 fairly inferred that these "best coach mares" had a heavy dash of it, from which were bred 

 mules that commanded $200 each, and were nearly sixteen hands high, " active and spirited." 

 It is well remembered as the opinion of the late Frederick Skinner, (blessed be his me- 

 mory,) father of the writer of this memoir, vrho sent his jennets several years from Calvert 

 County, to the Jacks at Mount Vernon, and who was withal a connoisseur in all such cases, 

 — it was his oflen-expresscd conviction that the activity, endurance, and value of mules was 

 greatly enhanced when bred from mares deep in the blood. But we cannot dismiss our re- 

 spected and cautious author of the prize essay, without availing yet more largely of the 

 result of his careful researches and reflections, founded on personal experience, and so we 

 proceed to transcribe his remarks on the several points of breeding and rearing — economy 

 of keep — steadiness to labour — docility of temper — exemption from disease — and longevity of 

 the animal. 



The impressions received, says he, when on a visit to the West Indies in my yout!i,byobserv. 

 ing, in the sugar plantations, the severe labour performed by mules in cane mills, induced me, 



