208 THE CARRIAGE OF ANIMALS 



up, gives himself a shake, and bounds out of the 

 carriage on to the platform when released by the 

 guard. 



Pigs frequently die of chill after railway journeys in 

 the open trucks. In place of these there should be 

 special covered-in pig-vans. As pigs huddle close 

 together, and take little room, the slight increase in cost 

 of carriage would be more than compensated. Of all 

 animals pigs are the most tiresome to ' carry ' by any 

 form of conveyance. Lifting a pig into a dealer's cart 

 is one of the tragedies of village life. He is heavy, 

 dirty, and active. He ' makes a stiff back ' like a baby, 

 his hoofs are sharp, he seems as muscular as a salmon, 

 and his yells and screams are distracting. Custom 

 insists that he shall be held and partly lifted by his tail. 

 This adds to his resentment. When once up in the 

 cart a net is fastened over him, and he usually settles 

 down in such a position as to spoil the balance of the 

 trap as far as possible. From the horse's point of view a 

 pig is always the worst possible passenger. A celebrated 

 Suffolk dealer, after lifting pigs for some twenty years 

 into his cart, actually hit on the grand idea of having a 

 low cart built, hanging within a couple of feet of the 

 ground. Into this quite a small herd could be driven, 

 not lifted, and he could stand up and drive it with the 

 pigs wedged tight all round his legs. When a herd of 

 lean pigs are destined for a journey by rail, the question 



