17 



for some months with only five nails in each fore shoe. 

 It had not been tried ujjon the gun horses ; but it was 

 in contemjalation to do so. He also told me, that he had 

 hunted all the season with five nails, and that it had 

 never entered his head, that he was to lose a shoe ; and 

 that a troop of Dragoons at a neighbouring station had 

 adopted the plan with equal success vipon troopers as well, 

 as oflicers' horses. 



These experiments confirmed the opinion, I had for some 

 time entertained, that we had not yet found the limit of 

 the power of five nails ; and, as I could think of no severer 

 test to subject them to, than those which I had already 

 employed, T resolved upon trymg, what four would do ; so 

 I set to work immediately, and had my own horses shod 

 with four, commencing with one which required to be shod 

 with leather ; and afterwards taking my carriage horses, as 

 being those in which it was least likely to answer ; but 

 as no difference whatever presented itself, I followed with 

 the others ; and had then six horses shod with four nails 

 only in each of then- fore shoes. I next caused shoes, each 

 weighing twenty two ounces and a half, and fastened mth 

 four nails, to be put on one of my carriage horses, one 

 nail only being placed on the inside, leaving a space of six 

 inches without any fastening whatever between it and the 

 heel : at the end of five weeks neither shoe, nor clench 

 had moved in the smallest degree, although they had pur- 

 posely been left thus long untouched. 



The friend, to whom I have before referred, as having 

 ploughed with five nails, now reported to me a second 



M 



