CROSSING THE GANGES. 285 



never be pulled excepting to guide the horse, 

 and then very gently, by holding it as near the 

 horse's mouth as possible, pulling only on one side 

 at a time, as the horse may be required to go. 

 Horses that are much accustomed to swimming, 

 will continue at it for many miles without being 

 knocked up. The same horse that I rode into thf 

 river Poonpoon, would never remain for a minute 

 in a ferry-boat; for as soon as he w r as in, he 

 would leap out of it into the water on the opposite 

 side, in defiance of the exertions of many men, 

 and I have several times been obliged to fasten 

 him with a long rope to a boat, forcing him to 

 swim across the river Ganges, where it was 

 about four miles broad. 



