INDIAN HOESES." MODEEN VETEEIN-ART PRACTICE. [ikdian nonsEa. 



imported Arabians succumb to the stamina of 

 our "islanders," whicb are novr, unquestionably, 

 the finest animals in the world. 



To the east of our Indian empire, in Burmah, 

 Siam, and China, horses are yet of a smaller 

 breed ; and those of China are usually poor- 

 spirited, meek, and not well made. In Moore's 

 Notices of the Indian Arcliipelago, we are 

 assured that, in every country lying to tlie 

 east of the Burrampooter, and south of the 

 tropic, the horse, however diversified, is little 

 better than a pony. "This fact," says a 

 writer in the Museum of Animated Nature, 

 " after quitting Bengal, is first noticed in the 

 countries of Cassay, Ava, and Pegu. Here 

 the horse seldom equals thirteen hands high ; 

 but is active, spirited, and well formed. As 

 we proceed to the south and west, the horse 

 becomes more diminutive; and those of Lao, 

 Siam, and the southern provinces of China, are 

 inferior in size and beauty to those of Ava 

 and Pegu. The Siamese and Cochin Chinese 

 have no cavalry, and make no use of their 

 ponies, except for riding, on ordinary occasions. 

 Even for this last purpose they are not esteemed, 

 the elephant being always preferred as a more 

 respectable and dignified mode of conveyance. 

 In the Malayan peninsula there are no plains or 

 roads ; and the inhabitants, living almost ex- 

 clusively on the low and woody banks of the 

 rivers, naturally substitute their canoes and 

 boats for beasts of carriage and burden ; and 

 hence the horse has not yet been naturalised 

 amongst them. Proceeding eastward in the 

 Malayan islands, the horse first occurs in the 

 interior of Sumatra ; and here we have two of 

 the best breeds known in those countries — the 

 Achin and Batta, both very spirited, but small 

 and better suited for draught than saddle. 



" Of all the countries of the Archipelago, the 

 horse is most frequent in the island of Java. 

 The Javanese pony is generally larger than 

 that of Sumatra, and has more the form of a 

 horse — is more temperate, and less gay and 



* This is the finest and most valuable island of the 

 Indian Archipelago, and is divided, nearly in its whole 

 length, by a range of volcanic mountains, attaining the 

 height of 8,000 feet above the sea. This range ap- 

 proaches nearest the southern coast, rising into high and 

 rugged hills, against which the surf dashes violently ; so 

 that, with the exception of a few bays, where a landing 

 on the island can be obtained, it is otherwise inaccessible. 

 On the northern side of this mountain ridge the surface 



handsome. Two distinct races may be de- 

 scribed — one of the plains, and one of tho 

 mountains. The first is somewhat coarse, 

 and sluggish in disposition, and bo large as 

 occasionally to reach the height of thirteen 

 hands and an inch. The second is small and 

 hardy, and, as in the case of tlie Kuninghan — 

 a breed in the interior of Cheribon — soii^etimcs 

 very handsome, and giving great pleasure to 

 the eye by his general appearance." 



In Java the horse is used both for tho 

 saddle and as a beast of burden ; but tho 

 natives never use him for agricultural pur- 

 poses, or, indeed, for any species of draught. 

 By Europeans, however, he is extensively used 

 in carriages ; and on the level and well-con- 

 structed roads of Java, four of them will draw 

 a carriage at the rate of twelve, and even 

 fifteen miles an hour. There is, however, no 

 real advantage in employing this diminutive 

 breed for such a purpose, as a pair of Euglisli 

 post-horses, on the same roads, will go as far 

 and as fast without the slightest difficulty. 

 To accomplish this in a carriage of the same 

 weight as the English horses would draw, 

 would require twelve Javanese ponies. One 

 horse, therefore, is equal to six ponies ; and as, 

 at the utmost, a full-grown horse will not 

 consume above twice the quantity of food 

 required for a pony, the charge of maintaining 

 him, in proportion to the work he is capable 

 of performing, is no more than one-third. 



The horse, but of an inferior breed, is found 

 on the islands of Bali and Sombolk; also in 

 the island of Samharra, where there are two 

 different races — those of Samboro and Bima. 

 The last, especially those of Gunong Api, are 

 by far the handsomest breed of the Archi- 

 pelago, and are extensively exported. Passing 

 Samharra, the horse is traced to Elores, Sandal- 

 wood island, and Timor ; but nowhere further 

 to the east, being unknown in the Moluccas, 

 New Guinea, and the neighbouring islands. 

 Next to Java,* the horse is found in greatest 



is low and swampy, intersected by a great number of 

 rivers and fine bays, where good anchorage is obtained, in 

 moderate depth, during the south-east monsoon. The 

 mouths of all the rivers, however, are choked up with 

 mud or sand-banks ; and when they are swelled by the 

 torrents, they inundate all the low lands. The eastern 

 extremity of the island is but thinly inhabited, and very 

 little cultivated. All the European settlements are on 

 the northern coast; but a magnificent mihtary road, con. 



29 



