L ,_.,, CASSKI.I.S POPULAR NATt'UAL HISTORY. 



it is ordinarilv to it-, race, and so dismounting, lie removed tlic saddle, remarking naively to the looker- 

 ,,n. It'* well. >ir, t,. let a .li.nkey lia\ e his own way sometimes." 



The aaa is equal to no common amount of toil. On four asses being put to plough, yoked two 

 abreast, and driven in hand with reins l,y the ploughman, it was proved that their work was equal to that 

 iM-rformed by Iwo common tanner's horses of the slighter kind. The late Earl of Egremont also formed a 

 team consist in,,' of six asses, and for nine months they were found of great service. They took a chaldron 

 and a quarter of coals twice a- day, in a wagon, from the canal to his lordship's house at Petworth, 

 thus showing an unexpected degree of strength, and being, at the same time, gentle and docile. 



It will be well, for a moment, to dwell on the sagacity of this animal. We often talk of the ass 

 as the stupidest of the browsers of the field ; yet, if any one shuts up a donkey in the same inelostire 

 with half-a-do/en horses of the finest blood, and the party escape, it is always the donkey that has led 

 the way : it is he alone that has penetrated the secret of the bolt and latch. "Often," says a modern 

 writer, "have we stood at the other side of a hedge, contemplating a whole troop of blood mares and 

 their offspring patiently waiting while the donkey was sniffing over a piece of work to which all but 

 he felt themselves incompetent." 



A short time ago, there was living at Croxdale North Farm, near Durham, an ass, who, as soon 

 as the shades of evening set in, was accustomed to collect a dozen or so of calves, and then to <lri\e 

 them home. When they arrived in the calf-yard, he allowed them to drink at the well, after which he 

 took a drink himself, and then marched on with his charge before him ; and if any gluttonous ealt 

 stopped short to eat grass, the sagacious creature ran at him open-mouthed, as he did at any straggler, 

 until all were driven into the fold-yard in safety. 



The well-house at Carisbrook Castle, in the Isle of Wight, is an object of interest to all visitors. 

 A donkey is there seen, without any bridle or other harness on, standing close to the wall, behind a 

 large wooden wheel. As the man in attendance says, "Come, sir, show the ladies and gentlemen what 

 you can do," the donkey springs cheerfully into the interior of the wheel, which is broad and hollow, 

 and furnjshed in the inside with steps, formed of projecting pieces of wood nailed on, the hollow 

 part of the wheel being broad enough to admit of the donkey between the two sets of spokes. It 

 then begins walking up the steps of the wheel somewhat as prisoners do on the wheel of the treadmill. 

 The man has no whip, and says nothing to the donkey as he pursues his course ; but, as the well is 

 more than three hundred feet deep, it takes some time to draw up the water, which is here done by animal 

 labour. One ass has been known to perform this service at Carisbrook for fifty years, another for forty, 

 a third for thirty, and a fourth had performed it for ten years, at the time of the writer's last visit. 

 The dates are marked down inside the door of the well-house. The donkey was continuing his labour, 

 and looking towards the well, when the question was asked, " What is he looking at ?" " He is looking- 

 for the bucket," said the man ; and, in fact, as soon as the bucket appeared, the donkey stopped, and 



deliberately walked out of the wheel to the place at which he stood at our entrance, knowing full 

 well that he had done what was desired. 



The engraving we give (page 225) from a justly -celebrated picture by Gainsborough will remind 



those who have lived in, or visited, the sandy districts of our country, of an amusing struggle which has 



often been witnessed. It recalls, too, a gentleman who, for the amusement of his cottage tenants, oli'ered 



a goose and trimmings as a prize for a donkey-race. There were, however, to be some conditions : no 



whip nor spur was to be used ; no one was to ride his own donkey ; and the pri/e was to be given to 



eature who reached the goal litxt. Kadi ass, oil being entered for the rare a fortnight before, was 



transferred to the keeping of the man who was to ride him, and was also the owner of another candidate 



for the prize. On the start being made, the object of each rider was, of course, to urge the donkey he 



le in advance of his own ; and hence the strife was as keen as if the first at the post was to win. 



il may seem, the swiftest, ass of the lot carried off the prize. His owner was a cunning 



sand-buy, who had taught his donkey, at the sound of a low and peculiar whistle, to stand stock-still. 



. therefore, did he keep him in the rear by the well-known signal; nothing could induce the 



sagaeions ereature to stir as long as his master forbade all movement ; and thus fixing him to the spot, 



the sand-boy galloped past his beast, and claimed the goose and trimmings as hi.s own. 



the owner of the ass that excited Sterne's sympathies said "he was assured the creature loved 

 '"'" ' '"'}' ''ad been separated three days, during which time the ass had sought him as much as he 



