HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 17 



carrying burdens, particularly in mountainous and 

 stony places, where horses are not so sure-footed. 

 The size and strength of our breed have lately 

 been much improved by the importation of Spanish 

 male Asses ; and it were much to be wished, that 

 the useful qualities of this animal were more at- 

 tended to : for, by proper care in its breaking, its 

 natural obstinacy would in a great measure be cor- 

 rected ; and it might be formed with success for 

 the saddle, the draught, or the burden. 



People of the first quality in Spain are drawn 

 by Mules, where fifty or sixty guineas is no un- 

 common price for one of them ; nor is it surprising, 

 when we consider how far they excel the Horse in 

 travelling in a mountainous country, the Mule be- 

 ing able to tread securely where the former can 

 hardly stand. Their manner of going down the 

 precipices of the Alps, the Andes, &c., is very ex- 

 traordinary ; and with it we will conclude their 

 history. In these passages, on one side, are steep 

 eminences, and, on the other, frightful abysses ; 

 and as they generally follow the direction of the 

 mountain, the road, instead of lying on a level, 

 forms, at every little distance, deep declivities, of 

 several hundred yards downward. These can be 

 descended only by Mules ; and the animal itself 

 seems sensible of the danger, and the caution that 

 is to be used in such descents. When they come 

 to the edge of one of these precipices, they stop 

 Avithout being checked by the rider ; and if he in- 

 advertently attempt to spur them on, they continue 

 immoveable. They seem all this time ruminating 

 on the danger that lies before them, and preparing 

 themselves for the encounter. They not only at- 



VOL. in. c 



