NATIVE HORSE.] M OD ERN V ETERI N AET PR A CTI C E. [native nonsE. 



to pursue bim with a view to capture, was out 

 of the question. Wiien he discovered we were 

 not following him, he also paused, and now 

 seemed to be inspired with curiosity equal to 

 our own; for, after making a slight turn, he 

 came nearer until we could distinguish the 

 inquiring expression of liis clear, bright eye, 

 and the quiet curl of his inflated nostrils. We 

 had no hope of catching, and did not wish to 

 kill him, but our curiosity led us to approach 

 him slowly. Vf e had not advanced far before 

 he moved away, and, circling round, approached 

 on the other side. He was a beautiful animal — 

 a sorrel, with jet black mane and tail. As he 

 moved we could see the muscles quiver in his 

 glossy limbs ; and, when half playfully, and half 

 in fright, he tossed his flowing mane in the 

 air, and flourished his long silky tail, our admi- 

 ration knew no bounds, and we longed — hope- 

 lessly, vexatiously longed — to possess him. We 

 might have shot him where we stood ; but had we 

 been starving, we could scarcely have done it. 

 He was free, and we loved him for the very pos- 

 session of that liberty we longed to take from 

 him ; but we would not kill him. We fired a 

 rifle over his head ; he heard the shot, and the 

 whiz of the ball, and away he went, disap- 

 pearing in the next hollow — showing himself 

 again as he crossed the distant ridges — still 

 seeming smaller, until he faded away a speck 

 on the far horizon's edge." 



The wild horses which exist in the Llanos of 

 South America, are descendants of those in- 

 troduced by the Spaniards. In the province of 

 Cumana, there are great numbers in the 

 forest, wandering about in companies, gene- 

 rally to the nutuber of five or six hundred. 

 Tliey occupy the great savannas, where it is diffi- 

 cult even to disturb, far less to catcli them. In 

 the dry season, they are sometimes obliged to 

 go eight, ten, and even more miles in search 

 of water; and when this is the case they set 

 out in regular ranks, four abreast. Five or 

 six scouts pre<;ede tlie troop by about fifty 

 jjaces. If tliey perceive an enemy they neigh, 

 and the troop stops; if they evade him, they 

 continue their march; but if any one dares to 

 march across their squadron, they turn on him 

 and crush him under their feet. No foe is 

 capable of withstanding their attack. They 

 .have a regular chief, who marches between the 

 scouts and the squadron — a kind of adjutant, 



whose duty consists in hindering any indi- 

 vidual from quitting the ranks. If any one 

 attempts to straggle, either from hunger or 

 fatigue, he is bitten till he resumes his place. 

 When wild horses are feeding, should anv 

 stragglers be threatened with danger by an 

 enemy, a particular signal, which they all un- 

 derstand, is given, when they close into a denso 

 mass, and trample the assailant to death. 

 When they themselves resolve upon making 

 an attack, their leader shows the example ; and 

 if he considers a retreat necessary, he gives the 

 signal, and it is instantly obeyed. 



The wild horses of Tartary, although easily 

 domesticated, materially differ in character 

 from those on the plains of South America. 

 They will not suffer a stranger to join them. 

 If a domesticated horse come in their way, 

 unprotected by his master, they attack him 

 with their teeth and their heels, and speedily 

 destroy him. They readily submit, however, 

 to the dominion of man, and become perfectly 

 docile and faithful. 



Among the Tartars, the flesh of the horse 

 is a frequent article of food; and although 

 they do not, like the Indians of the Pampas, 

 eat it raw, their mode of cookery would not 

 be very inviting to the European epicure. 

 They cut the muscular parts into slices, and 

 place them under their saddles; and after they 

 have galloped thirty or forty miles, the meat be- 

 comes tender and sodden, and fit for their 

 table ; and, at all their feasts, the first and 

 last, and most favourite dish, is a horse's head. 



AVhen water was not at hand, the Scythians 

 used to draw blood from their horses, and 

 drink it ; and the Dukes of Muscovy, for 

 nearly two hundred and sixty years, presented 

 Tartar ambassadors with the milk of mares. 

 If any of this milk fell upon the mane of 

 the horse, the Duke, by custom, was bound to 

 lick it off. 



Troops of wild horses are occasionally met 

 with in the central parts of Africa, the deserta 

 of Arabia, and in a few other parts of the 

 world ; but nowhere do they equal the 

 domesticated horse in form, strength, or even 

 speed. 



The Quagga, in the Zoological Society's 

 valuable collection in Eegent'fj-park, London, 

 belongs to the same family of animals as the 

 horse (fquidce). This specimen is brown; 



43 



