6io HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



— a circumstance which raised the price of these animals 

 considerably above that of horses.' But even the employ- 

 ment of mules was limited, because of the damage done to 

 their feet on roads which were generally so badly made, 

 if made at all, that travelling on them was only possible 

 for short distances. It was, doubtless, in a great measure 

 to obviate these inconveniences that the Romans con- 

 structed their wonderful strata. On such paved roads, 

 cavalry or horses drawing light vehicles would probably 

 travel a number of days without shoes ; and it may be 

 that heavy loads in carriages were transported on them 

 for some distance by long teams of mules, as observed by 

 Martial, in the beginning of our era: ' LongcC mulorum 

 mandrac.' 



Beyond these roads, however, quadrupeds were 

 scarcely available for drawing heavy weights ; and human 

 strength, together with the ingenuity of the Roman 

 engineers, was enlisted to convey, by means of rollers, 

 levers, and various other appliances, the materials destined 

 for building or other purposes. Even in Rome, and in 

 many other cities built before shoeing had become gen- 

 eral, the main thoroughfares were too narrow to permit 

 carriages laden with bulky articles to pass. The object 

 of this was probably to make them shady, and protect 

 them from the sweeping winter winds, as well as to im- 

 pede an enemy should he attempt to enter. All transport, 

 therefore, must have been accomplished at an immense 

 sacrifice of manual labour, which to us now would appear 

 appalling. In the north of China, where horses are numer- 



'■ ' Ego faxim muli, pretio qui superare eqaos 

 Sicut viliores Gallicis cantheriis.' — Plautus. 



