80 



Centaur ; 



THE VEHICLE. 



"NVlio (lares not diive by day, must walk by night.** 



S the Egyptians were the first to capture 

 and train the horse, so they were the first 

 to use chariots, and the first roention we 

 have of a chariot is in the 43rd verse of 

 the 41st chapter of Genesis, where it is 

 written — " That Pharaoh made Joseph 

 ride in the second chariot which he had." 

 These chariots, although no doubt very 

 elaboratel}^ decorated, were very difi'erent 

 vehicles to the modern chariot, as may 

 easily be ascertained by examining any 

 of the pictures of the Egyptian, or even 

 the more modern Greek and Roman chariots. We are told 

 in the 3rd chapter of the Songs of Solomon, that *' King 

 Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon." 

 But in those early ages chariots were onl}^ used in battle, or 

 to swell the processions and increase the pomp of monarchs, 

 and were never used by private individuals, who rode on 

 horses, asses, mules, or camels. 



At what time carriages were first used by private indi- 

 viduals is somewhat doubtful. According to a writer in the 

 ** Encyclopaedia Britannica," carriages for the conveyance of 

 Torivate individuals were established first by the Bomans, 

 \vho, it is asserted, had a great variety of these vehicles ; 

 which at first — owing to the narrow streets and roads, which 

 were mere bridle paths — were ver}^ small. The use of the 

 carriages becoming more general led to the formation of those 

 excellent roads — such as the Appian Way, which was made 

 331 years before Christ — for the construction of which the 

 Bomans were justly celebrated. The carriage which figured 

 in public ceremonials was the Carpentiim. It was of slight 

 construction, mounted upon two wheels, and was sometimes 

 covered. The Gauls had a kind of carriage called the 

 *' Benna " or " Sirpea," constructed of wicker-work. The 

 "Essedum" of the Bomans was a two-wheeled carriage, 

 copied by them from the war cars of the " Belgge." These 

 various vehicles were splendidly gilded with gold, and orna- 

 mented with precious stones. 



