66 TAMING HORSES. 



mained two hours before I came to the roots of his 

 ears, which I began to touch very lightly at the 

 end of another half hour ; and, by continuing the 

 operation an hour longer, I was able to handle 

 them with ease and safety. A few minutes after, 

 I bridled him, led him about, and made him fol- 

 low me, without pulling him by the bridle. I 

 took it off, and put it on again. I repeated this 

 exercise several times. Then I called in my ser- 

 vant, and made him bridle and unbridle him. 

 Then sent him to tell the owner of the horse to 

 come and see him. 



Give me leave here to observe, that when I per- 

 formed upon a horse, I never let any one be present, 

 (for fear they might discover the real secret,) ex- 

 cept such a gentleman as I knew would give me a 

 handsome gratification : for a man is always more 

 or less willing to pay to satisfy his curiosity as 

 well as his interest. 



The owner of the horse came in where he was 

 standing without rope or bridle. I called a little 

 Indian boy, who had never bridled a horse in his 

 life, and gave him the bridle ; and, as the horse's 

 head was too high for him to reach up to it, I told 

 him to get into a chair, and put the bridle on. 

 His master cried out, "For God's sake, don't let 

 him go nigh him ! I cannot yet have confidence 

 enough in that animal, to let the little boy go nigh 



