MULES. 179 



varieties, will be required to produce such kind of 

 mules as may be wanted for general purposes. From 

 the small Jack of African origin, with a list down his 

 back and shoulders, are bred a small race of mules, 

 by far the most hardy of any. With attention to 

 selection in breeding the Jacks, with, perhaps, a dash 

 of some cross of the foregoing description, a stock ot 

 mules may be produced, preferable to all others for 

 the light lands and cotton culture of the middle and 

 Southern States. 



To procure any number of Arabian Jacks from 

 their native country, is hardly practicable at the pre- 

 sent time. Egypt has been celebrated by Sonnini 

 and other travellers, for superb Jacks of the Arabian 

 breed, which probably has been often improved by 

 those introduced by the pilgrims from Mecca. I ap- 

 prehend no great difficulty in obtaining them from that 

 country. There is, however, no question but the 

 Maltese Jacks are of the Arabian race, more or less 

 degenerated. The most of those brought to this 

 country that I have seen, were selected on account of 

 their size, and had been used to the draught. I should 

 recommend the selection of those that are esteemed 

 most suitable for the saddle, as likely to possess greatei 

 purity of blood. A Jack of this kind, was a number 

 of years since imported from Gibraltar, that had been 

 selected by a British officer at Malta ; and very much 

 resembled the Knight of Malta described by Mr. 

 Custis. I found upon a careful examination, that he 

 differed but little from the description I had heard and 

 read of the true Arabian race ; indeed I could dis- 

 cover some prominent points and marks, that agreed 

 with those found by professor Pallas to belong to the 

 Hemionus or wild mule of Mongalia. From this Jack 

 have bred a stock, out of a large Spanish Jennet ol 



