HIS BAKB BLOOD. 65 



This, by the way, appears to be a characteristic of the Barb 

 blood above all others, and is a strong corroboration of the 

 legend, which attribntes to him an early Audalusian strain. 



THE INDIAN PONY. 



The various breeds of Indian ponies found in the West, gene- 

 rally appear to me to be the result of a cross between the South- 

 ern mustang, descended from the emancipated Spanish horses 

 of the southwest, and the smallest type of the Canadian, the 

 proportions varjdng according to the localities in which they are 

 found, those farther to the south sharing more largely of the 

 Spanish, and those to the north of the Norman blood. 



On my first visit to Canada, in 1831, I had an opportunity 

 of seeing great herds of these ponies, running nearly wild on the 

 rich meadow lands about the Grand River, belonging to the 

 Mohawk Indians, who had a large reservation on that river, near 

 the village of Brantford, which took its name, I believe, from 

 the chief, wlio was a son of the famous Brant, Thayendanagca, 

 of ante-revolntionary renown. 



These little animals, which I do not think any of them 

 exceeded thirteen hands, had all the characteristics of the pure 

 Canadians, and, except in size, were not to be distinguished 

 from tliem. They had the same bold carriage, open counte- 

 nance, abundant hair, almost resembling a lion's mane, the 

 same general build, and above all, the same iron feet and 

 legs 



I hired a pair of these, I well remember, both stallions, and 

 they took me in a light wagon, with a heavy driver and a hundred 

 weight, or upwards, of baggage, over execrable roads, sixty 

 miles a day, for ten days in succession, without exhibiting the 

 slightest distress, and at the end of the journey were all ready to 

 set out on the same trip again. 



I was new at the time in America, and was much surprised 

 and interested by the performance of this gallant little pair of 

 animals. They were perfectly matched, both in size and color, 

 very dark brown, and twelve hands and a half in height ; and 

 where the road was hard and good, could spin along at nearly 

 nine miles in the hour. They were very merry goers. 

 Vol. II.— 5 



