THE horse's rescue. 225 



breath of air. Wlien we stop goitig up tliis hill we 

 will have to block all of the hind wheels on all of 

 these wagons, ortlie pressure above will back the light 

 wagons over the blockings. The lioi-ses can't hold 

 them and rest. This will be lively work after you 

 singr out ' whoa.' This is the wav 1 have alwavs had 

 to do. A prop dragging does more hurt than gjod. It 

 will turn light wagons over. The weight settling back 

 will raise up the light wagons and throw them all 

 around in manv w^avs. We must not pull these horses 

 more than a rod at one time. In this ■'.^■ay we must 

 climb this hill, if we get up it." 



After working up this hill about half way I saw 

 'that one of Beach's horses was not right. It was not 

 the one that got choked. This horse had stood it well 

 up to this time. It was hot ; he was overdone ; he had, 

 what is called by some, the thumps. It is the palpi- 

 tation of the heart. 



"Beach, we must get these wagons out of the road 

 and anchor here. That horse must not be drawn anv 

 more now. He would drop dead on this hili." 



We blocked up. took off the horses, got in the 

 woods in the shade, and stayed there until it got 

 cooler. After resting a few hours tlie sun got lower, 

 and we tried it again. This horse had got over thump- 

 ing, or his heart had. We slowly worked up to the 

 summit; then it went better. After about four or 

 five miles we came to the river and pulled in at a 

 hotel. There we were within fourteen n.iles of the 

 port I was sailing for with one very In me mare. We 

 put up for the night. In the morning I soon saw one 

 train wrecked. My mare's leg was badly swelled from 



