ON MILITARY HORSE-POWER. 205 



siderable experience and attention. The single trace 

 must be managed in a particular manner, or, in turning, 

 it gets under the horse's tail : unless it is properly held 

 in the hand at starting, the horse may break it by the 

 jerk. There are several other little precautions neces- 

 sary, most particularly in the mode of adjusting the 

 surcingle, which requires considerable practice and atten- 

 tion. 



The many curious and indeed scientific applications and 

 combinations of power of which this simple harness is 

 capable, form a beautiful example of what even uncivilised 

 man can contrive when his attention has been long and 

 steadily directed to a solitary object. And surely the 

 ingenuity and practical experience of one nation are 

 worthy the patient attention of another. But the ap- 

 parent simplicity of many a useful invention has often 

 been its ruin; and this observation is most particularly 

 applicable to lasso harness, which is, in appearance, so 

 very simple, that it seems to require only to be seen to 

 be perfectly understood : yet, efficient as it is in America, 

 and efficient as it will be to any nation in Europe that 

 will give to its merits sufficient time and a fair trial, — 

 yet, on some little experience and reflection, it is most 

 confidently stated that, as a theory, it certainly is of no 

 use at all ; and the truth of this observation will at once 

 be proved by the complete failure and confusion which 



