MORGAN HORSE : HIS RELATION TO BREEDING. 323 



his team against any he met, either to draw or run, for 

 a trifling wager. His ' little team ' became famous at 

 every inn from Lyndon to Portland ; and, after a time, 

 the teamsters that knew them were afraid to match 

 horses of any size against them. In the spring, when 

 the sleighing became poor, the men who had been com- 

 panions through the winter in the severe labor of 

 teaming across the country would often congregate at 

 the village taverns to spin yarns of their simple but 

 rough adventures, engaging in wrestling, running foot 

 and horse races, drawing-matches, and many games 

 invented to test the speed or strength of either men or 

 horses. In addition to these attractions, the prospect 

 of a social glass of ' old Santa Cruz ' may have had 

 some influence in drawing together the people collect- 

 ed on these occasions ; for it was at that time considered 

 a pleasant beverage, and it was not generally known 

 to be a subtle poison. Certain it is that these games 

 were well attended, and were conducted with much 

 spirit. Drawing-matches were at that time very com- 

 mon. At Lyndon, the usual way of drawing was to 

 attach a horse to a sled, fill it with men, and draw the 

 load up a steep hill just north of the tavern. ^Wien 

 each Ms utmost strength had shoivn^^ Sherman would 

 add a small boy to the largest load, and commence the 

 ascent, well satisfied if he could gain two or three feet 

 at a pull ; for nothing discouraged his horse, and it 

 was difficult to load him so that he could not move a 

 little. These facts are perfectly well known to many 



