32 SKINNING HORSES V6TSUS SKINNING EELS. 



mention an anecdote of one, who, in any thing but 

 what regarded his horses, was a kind man. He was 

 also a veterinary surgeon. He once took me to see 

 his horses on a line of road where he had a strong 

 opposition that had been running some months. I 

 went into his stables, and such an exhibition of 

 spectres of horses I never saw, all of a superior sort 

 and breed he knew too well to buy any other for 

 such work but such an accumulation of distress, 

 such an assemblage of the lame, the halt, and the 

 blind, I never beheld, except afterwards in the field 

 behind the stable : this was a complete knacker's 

 yard. I do not pretend to finer feelings than my 

 neighbours, but I positively felt a sickening sensation, 

 and turned away from the revolting scene. On 

 returning to the stables, one of his coaches came up, 

 all the horses distressed enough; but one, a little 

 mare, scarcely well bred enough for her place, was in 

 a state of such dreadful distress I pronounced her a 

 dead one. " So did I," said her master, " the first 

 time I saw her come in : she will blow in that way 

 for these two hours; she has an oppression on her 

 lungs, but is a very good mare. I know she is out 

 of her place, but she will go on." Now here, because 

 this animal could go on, she was to be kept working 

 in this distress without exciting one feeling of com- 

 passion. Bad enough this, but not quite so bad as 

 what follows. The up-coach came in, and the coach- 

 man was addressed as follows: "I hear you was 

 beat last night by three minutes; don't let this 

 happen again if you can help it. I don't mind 

 skinning a horse a day, but keep your coach in front." 

 Did not mind skinning ! That is, of course, kill- 

 ing by over-distress a horse a-day. I never for- 



