52 THROUGH RUSSIA ON A MUSTANG. 



to say nothing of dangerous, performance fifty times 

 instead of five. 



Yet, with all this, Texas was a good sort of a horse. 

 The only grudge born in memory against him is for 

 blundering down on a piece of rough macadam road, 

 and peeling his knees and nose, when but two days 

 march from Sevastopol, where I intended offering him 

 to a horse dealer as an exceptionably fine animal. As 

 such he would, undoubtedly, be passed on to the next 

 customer by the dealer ; for he was as handsome a 

 horse as ever wore a shoe. With all his faults he was 

 parted from with a pang of regret. Before we reached 

 the shores of the Black Sea he would follow me about 

 like a dog, so long as one didn't lead the way across a 

 bridge, or near anything that excited his suspicion. 



From " Wild America " was also obtained a good 

 cowboy saddle, made at Houston, Texas. It was the 

 easiest saddle the writer ever rode in. At an early 

 stage on the road, however, I decided that it was too 

 heavy for the hot weather and the long journey, and 

 exchanged it for a light Circassian seat. The Circas- 

 sian saddle consists of a naked wooden frame, and a 

 pillow-like cushion of soft Russian leather, stuffed with 

 goat hair. The light frame rests on a thick pad on 

 the horse's back, and the soft leather cushion is 

 pinched tightly in the middle by a surcingle, that 

 passes round it and under the horse, as a third girth. 

 The natives ride with a stirrup so short that the leg is 

 bent as in kneeling, and the foot plays no part in re- 

 lieving the w T eight in the saddle. The position is at 

 first extremely uncomfortable, and I preferred to 

 lengthen the stirrups to getting accustomed to it. 



