156 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



When Cortcz landed his army upon the coast of Mexico, in 

 tlie year 1519, he had witli him sixteen horses, which were 

 objects of wonderful curiosity to the simple minded Aztecs, who 

 never dreamed of using any quadruped, either under the sad- 

 dle or for draught. The strange and beautiful creatures were 

 almost worshipped, and furnished with the softest couches for 

 their repose, and a bountiful feast of roast turkey to satisfy 

 their hunger. 



"Wild horses are generally of a reddish-brown, or a dun-color, 

 with black manes and tails. They arc of small size, rarely 

 exceeding thirteen hands in height, or eight hundred pounds in 

 weight, but are remarkably hardy, and often fleet, having been 

 known to carry a man one hundred miles in eight hours. 



The Tartars are said to make journeys of four hundred miles 

 in three days without any considerable time for rest, feeding 

 their horses only an occasional mouthful of grass. In such 

 excursions each man employs three or four horses, changing 

 from one to another as they become weary. 



The habits of wild horses differ somewhat in different coun- 

 tries, though they are always gregarious, as many as ten thou- 

 sand being often seen together. The herds are generally under 

 the guidance of an old stallion, who lias fought his way to the 

 head in many a bloody conflict with his rivals, and whose superi- 

 ority is acknowledged by his companions. Tiie Tartar horses 

 will sometimes attack and trample in pieces a strange horse 

 unaccompanied by man ; but in South America, where wild 

 stallions are frequently caught with the lasso, and compelled to 

 serve under the saddle, they arc often liberated by their former 

 associates, who gallop around the helpless travellers in the 

 wildest confusion, producing such an excitement among the 

 enslaved horses as renders them perfectly ungovernable. The 

 action of such a herd has been thus graphically described: — 



" A trampling troop ! I sec tlicm come, 

 In one vast squadron they advance ! 

 I strove to cry — my lips were dumb. 

 The steeds rush on in phingiiig pride, 

 But wliere are they tlie reins who guide? 

 A thousand horse and none to ride ! 

 With flowing tail and flying mane, 

 Wide nostrils never stretched by pain — 

 Mouths blooJless to the bit or rein, 



