6 
Harb To BE 
TAMED. 
Bist I. 6S s0n® Nu 
Attempts have been made to tame and domefticate the wild, by 
catching the calves and bringing them up with the common kind, 
in hopes of improving the breed. It has not yet been found to an- 
{wer: notwithftanding they had the appearance for a time of having 
loft their favage nature, yet they always grew impatient of reftraint, 
and, by reafon of their great ftrength, would break down the ftrongeft 
inclofure, and entice the tame cattle into the corn-fields. They have 
been known to engender together, and to breed; but I cannot learn 
whether the {pecies was meliorated * by the intercourfe: probably 
perfeverance in continuing the croffes is enly wanted to effect their 
thorough domeftication ; as it is notorious that the Bi/ows of the old 
world were the original ftock of all our tame cattle. 
Thefe were the only animals which had any affinity to the Eyro- 
pean cattle on the firft difcovery of the new world: before that pe- 
riod, it was in poffeffion of neither Horfe nor Afs, Cow nor Sheep, 
Hog, Goat, nor yet that faithful animal the Dog. Mankind were 
here in a ftate of nature; their own paffions unfubdued, they never 
thought of conquering thofe of the brute creation, and rendering 
them fubfervient to their will. The few animals which they had 
congenerous to thofe mentioned, might poflibly by induftry have 
been reclamed. This animal might have been brought to all the 
ufes of the European Cow; the Pecari might have been fubftituted 
for the Hog; the Fox or Wolf for the Dog: but the natives, living 
wholly by chafe, were at war with the animal creation, and neglected 
the cultivation of any part, except the laft, which was imperfedtly 
tamed. 
Such is the cafe even to the prefent hour ; for neither the example 
of the Europeans, nor the vifible advantages which refult from an at- 
tention to that ufeful animal the Cow, can induce the Indian to pay 
any refpeét to it. He contemns every fpecies of domeftic labour, 
except what is neceffary for forming a provifion of bread. Every 
* Kalam, i. 207- 
i wigwam 
