THE horse's rescue. 241 



In that "we have to swim, drown, or wade. 



In order to do away with this side draft that galls them so 



lu the center of this ditch and water thej would have to go ; 



If the water was shallow so they could wade and not be drowned. 



Then in this case they would always be aground; 



If the water was deep enough for the craft to float, 



Tliese poor horses could not swim and draw a loaded boat 



I cannot see any argument in favor of this ditch use ; 

 It always has been a great place poor horses and mules to abuse. 

 Their sufEeiing with pen and ink I cannot portray ; 

 I think tliis old ditch ought to be done away, 

 For many other reasons besides the horse's abuse. 

 It's had its day and outlived its use. 

 It always was a center for corruption and crime; 

 It's outlived its day and had its time. 

 It always has been a slow-poke of a way to travel at best 

 In ray boyhood days I took it in my head to go "West. 

 On this stinking ditch four hundred miles I traveled; 

 It was lock up hill, lock down, in no place level. 

 All this long sail my fare I paid, 

 • And vet more than half of it on foot I made. 

 Sometimes I would be many miles ahead 

 Viewing the country, sitting on verandahs in the shade. 

 You may call it what you will, good or bad luck. 

 Every few days ail these crafts in the mud are stuck. 

 The cause of all this shipwreck was many miles away; 

 No one could tell how long in this stinking mud they would have to 



stay. 

 Of all the nuisances that ever w^ere on the face of this earth 

 This old stinking ditch called the canal is the worst 

 All must wait for the breach to be repaired ; 

 These poor horses and mules, my Godl how they fared! 

 In mud, cold, and sleet, necks girdled clear around, 

 Obliged 10 stand up and sleep, no place fit ta lie down. 

 In its day it might have been of use if they could have used other 



power ; 

 As it has been and now is, on them is only slaughter and devour, 

 To navigate this old ditch with this power\or any other 

 It always would be crowded with wrecks and bother. 



