THE BUFFALO, &c. 183 



plied abundantly with the bed food. Thefe a- 

 nimals, when managed in this manner, appear to 

 be different creatures from our oxen, which on- 

 ly know us from our bad treatment. The goad, 

 blows, and hunger, render them ftupid, refrac- 

 tory, and feeble. If we had a proper know- 

 ledge of our own intereft, we would treat our 

 dependents with greater lenity. Ivlen of inferior 

 condition, and lefs civilized, feem to have a 

 better notion than other people of the laws of 

 equality, and of the different degrees of natu- 

 ral equity. The farmer's fervant may be faid 

 to be the peer of his matter. The hories of the 

 Arab, and the oxen of the Hottentot, are fa- 

 vourite domeftics, companions in cxcrcifes, af- 

 fiffants in every labour, and participate the ha- 

 bitation, the bed, and the table of their mailers. 

 Man, by this communication, is not fo much 

 degraded as thefe brutes are exalted and huma- 

 nized. They acquire affeciionatenefs, feniibili- 

 ty, and intelligence. There they perform e- 

 very thing from love, which they do here from 

 fear. They do more ; for, as their nature ;> 

 improved by the gentlenefs of their education, 

 and the perpetual auention bellowed on them, 



they 



They are thrown on the ground by ropes fixed to their feet. 

 When in this fituation, their four feet are placed on a ma- 

 chine made of two crofs fticks. At the fame time, 

 • thin, light pieces of iron are fixed to each foot, and cover 

 not above one half of the hoof. They are fixed by three 

 nail;, above an inch in length, which are rivetted on 

 .'.e fide; Re/at. ds Thevenpt, torn. 3. p. 150. 



