BUBC HELL'S ZEBRA. 55 



they are a little timid at first when the harness is being put 

 on; but afterwards they are all right, and Mr. Zeedesberg 

 believes in a month or two's time they will be as steady as 

 horses. They pull well and are very willing, and never 

 jib — a vice which is very prevalent in the horses of this 

 country. In fact, one of them will do his best to pull the 

 whole coach himself. 



^^ As you will see by the photograph which I send you, 

 they are now being used in one of Messrs. Zeedesberg's 

 coaches; and Mr. James Zeedesberg says they are so 

 satisfied with the experiment, so far as it has gone, that he 

 is going to extend it, with the object of ultimately 

 substituting them for mules, as the zebra is free from that 

 scourge of South Africa commonly called " horse sickness/' 

 which any of your readers w^ho have been out here will 

 know costs an enormous amount to coach proprietors in 

 horse flesh during the summer season. In some parts of 

 the low country it is quite sufficient for a horse to be left 

 out all night in the veldt (grass) to ensure its death from 

 this dreaded disease. 



^^ The zebras, when inspanned (harnessed to the coach), 

 stand quite still and wait for the word to go, they pull up 

 when required, and are perfectly amenable to the bridle, 

 and are softer mouthed than the mule. They never kick, 

 and the only thing in the shape of vice which they 

 manifest is that, Avhen first handled, they have an inclina- 

 tion to bite, but as soon as they get to understand that 

 there is no intention to hurt them they give this up. Four 

 of these zebras are now inspanned and driven in a team 

 together, and are as reliable and good as the best mules ; 

 the other four, bei^g older, require a little more time to get 

 them perfectly trained. The illustration shows four zebras 

 inspanned with mules in one of the coaches at Petersberg. 



