TAMING HORSES. 101 



me to the Alcade's, accompanied by his brother- 

 in-law. The Alcade was so delighted at seeing 

 the deer follow me into his house, that he gave me 

 every facility to perform in that town, which I 

 did, and brought away a fine purse of doubloons, 

 which he and his friends gave me, as a gratifica- 

 tion for having broken a wild horse in their pre- 

 sence. 



This deer having been shut up all night, as I 

 have observed, I got up early in the morning, and 

 went to the room in which it was confined. As I 

 opened the door, it appeared almost frightened to 

 death. I shut the door, however, and remained 

 perfectly still for some time. The deer had retired 

 to the further corner of the room, which was very 

 small: it had turned round, and was looking at 

 me. I kept my position, with my left hand 

 stretched out, for half an hour before I began to 

 move, as slow as possible, towards the deer, which 

 kept its eyes fixed steadfast upon me, and never 

 stirred, till I got nigh enough to touch it. I 

 moved my hand for some time, before I dared to 

 let it fall upon its head : at last, I ventured to let 

 the end of my fingers fall, as lightly as jDossible, 

 upon its head ; it trembled and flinched a little ; I 

 repeated, with the greatest rapidity, those very 

 light touches, and in less than five minutes, as I 

 suppose, (for it was impossible for me to look at 

 9* 



