3O4 ON DRAFT CATTLE. 



gentlemen have, for fome months paft, been 

 drawn by three mules each, the higheft of 

 which, did not appear to me above fourteen 

 hands. They carry three buts of beer, from 

 Limehoufe to London ; the fame weight, pre- 

 cifely, which the London drays carry with three 

 large horfes, and the fhafts bear in like manner 

 upon the filler. 



Now I have mentioned (haft-horfes, I wifh 

 to afk the queliion, what poffible ufe it can be 

 of, for the weight of a carriage to bear upon 

 the fill-horfe, inftead of upon a wheel, or 

 wheels ? I lament here, that I cannot boaft of 

 being even a fmatterer in the mechanics, of 

 courfe, that I cannot deliver myielf upon this 

 part of the fubjecl, fcientifically ; but I am an 

 old carter ; and have been long convinced, that 

 there really was never any necefiity for the 

 practice, and that it (lands upon no better 

 foundation than that of ancient cuftom. The 

 danger and inhumanity of this cuftom is vifible 

 to all who have eyes, and walk London ftreets 

 in a ilippery feafon. It has made me fhudder 

 a thoufand times, to fee a wretched animal, 

 perhaps weak and half-fed, flaggering under an 

 immenfe load, down a hill of glafs, and upon 

 fhoes which feemed to be contrived exprefsly 

 for the purpofe of Aiding. How it happens 

 that the horfes keep their legs, or that fo few 

 accidents enfue. is wonderful ; but fure it ought 



to 



