JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 85 



ought ever to be bred to a native jack if a black im- 

 ported one can be reached, unless, as is sometimes 

 the case, the pedigree of the native can be traced in 

 one unbroken line of black stock to the imported black 

 breed. I feel safe in saying that a majority of our 

 natives at some point in their ancestry, immediate or 

 remote, are tainted with an off color. 



THE MALTESE. 



About the best known imported jack in America is 

 the Maltese. The older jack men of to-day will re- 

 member that as boys they heard a great deal about 

 the Maltese jacks. They are at least contemporary 

 with, if they do not actually antedate, the Andalusian 

 in their introduction into this country. 



Mr. Pomeroy, one of our earliest authorities, how- 

 ever, on jackology, says that the Knight of Malta pre- 

 sented to General Washington was unquestionably the 

 first of his breed to be introduced into this country; 

 that the second came in the frigate Constitution, from 

 her first cruise in the Mediterranean, and was sold in 

 the District of Columbia ; and that not long afterwards 

 a number were introduced by officers of the navy, 

 from Malta, and that a few very valuable ones were 

 brought over in merchant ships. Certain it is that 

 they became comparatively well known in this country 

 at a very early day, and, until a few years ago, the 

 people seemed to know only two breeds — the broad 

 term of Spanish and Maltese. 



Mr. Pomeroy says that there is no question but 

 that the race is of Arabian origin, more or less degen- 

 erated. They are found on an island in the Mediter- 

 ranean, very far to the south, and belonging, I be- 



