68 THE HORSE. 



miles lip, and the sea, is all a champai^, and without stones, they 

 have plenty of a small sort of horses, the best in the world, like 

 the little Scotch Galloways ; and 'tis no extraordinary journey to 

 ride from sixty to seventy miles, or more, in a day. I have 

 often, but upon larger ^j>«cm^ horses^ rode fifty, nay, sixty miles 

 a day, eyen here in Neiv Enfjland^ where the roads are rough, 

 stony, and uneven." 



And elsewhere he speaks more distinctly of the same breed. 

 "The produce of this colony," Rhode Island, ''is principally 

 butter and cheese, fat cattle, wool, and fine horses, which are 

 exported to all parts of English America. They are remarka- 

 ble for fieetness and swift j9«cvn(/ / and I have seen some of them 

 pace a mile in a little more than tim minutes, and a good deal 

 less than three.''' 



If the worthy doctor of divinity were a good judge of pace 

 and had a good timing watch, it would seem that the wonder- 

 ful time of Pocahontas was equalled, if not outdone, above a 

 century ago ; at all events, he establishes, beyond a peradven- 

 ture, the existence of the family and its unequalled powers, as 

 well of speed as of endurance. 



To the latter extract is attached the following note, which I 

 insert entire, with all the quotations as they stand in the origi- 

 nal. These are, however, somewhat confused ; so that it is not 

 altogether clear, at all times, who is the speaker. 



" The breed of horses, called ' Narragansett Pacers,' once so 

 celebrated for fieetness, endurance and speed, has become ex. 

 tinct. These horses were highly valued for the saddle, and trans- 

 ported the rider with great pleasantness and surencss of foot. 

 Tiie pure bloods could not trot at all. Formerl}^, they had pace 

 races. Little Neck beach, in South Kingston, ot one mile in 

 length, was the race course. A silver tankard was the prize, 

 and high bets were otherwise made on speed. Some of these 

 prize tankards were remaining a few years ago. Traditions re- 

 specting the swiftness of these horses are almost incredible. 

 Watson, in his ' Historical Tales of Olden Times,' says : ' In 

 olden time, the horses most valued were pacers, now so odious 

 deemed. To this end the breed was propagated with care. The 

 Narragansett racers were in such repute, that they were sent 



