MODEHN FAERIEE. 257 



their hands, with a noise incessantly, and pray to 

 God for immunity for the tribe of Zoab, the inspired 

 tribe.' 



' It is a circumstance generally known,' says Mr. 

 W. H. Scott, ' that bred, or race-horses, from the 

 solidity of their bones, and some peculiar intrinsic 

 force of power in their muscular and fibrous systems, 

 are capable of carrying, and with expedition, far 

 heavier weights in proportion than the northern or 

 native horses of Europe. And I have seen the late 

 Mr. Bullock, then riding nearly or altogether twenty 

 stone, cantering over the London pavements upon 

 a little thorough bred horse, under fourteen hands 

 in height, and which, to common observers, was not 

 equal to more than half the weight. Was a thirty 

 stone plate to be run for, at twenty mile heats, the 

 prize would be carried off by thorough bred horses, 

 of which we have always, in this country, possessed 

 some of great size and powers. I was not, however, 

 aware that the power of standing under the greatest 

 weight, between the racer and the common horse, 

 had ever been actually put to the test, until I lately 

 read the following curious evidence of the fact, in a 

 letter from the Rev. William Chafin to a friend : — 

 " Captain Vernon, some time after Amelia was out 

 of training, laid a veiy considerable wager, that she 

 bore a greater weight upon her back, without cring- 

 ing, than a certain miller's horse, which had been 

 used to carry heavy sacks all his life time. The 

 mare and the horse were placed side by side, on the 

 even ground, and bags of different sizes, whether of 

 corn or san^ I know not, but I believe the latter, 

 were placed on their backs with great precaution. 

 The mare never moved ; but after immense weight 

 had been placed on both, the horse began to sidle, 

 and before the last bag could be put on him, he sunk 

 on his knees ; it was put on the mare, and she bore 

 it, never moving her posture until she was unloaded. 

 An immense sum of money was lost and won in 



2 K 



