ern districts an-l "raped io swell the fame of the "Hantam" type of 

 horses, tJu otitl jut 1lie land. 



In a leiler from General Craig to H. E. Lord Dundas dated 

 October 31st, 1796 we learn that the price paid for 200 remounts 

 averaged 80 rix dollars, while 100 rix dollars was paid for horses 

 of better quality. Some months later the price had risen 120 rix 

 dollars and even 150.^' The census returns of 1798 records the pop- 

 ulation as consisting of 21,764 whites or 61,447 including colored 

 servants and slaves. They possessed 47,436 horses, 2-51,206 cattle 

 and 1,448,536 sheep. The boundaries of the Colony enclosed some 

 120,000 square miles of excellent pasture and arrable land."'* 



The increasing demand for remounts in India is a sure proof 

 that the horse material has improved considerably during the cen- 

 tury. They certainly have increased in size judging from Licht- 

 enstein's account already mentioned of the stud in the Hantam dis- 

 trict of over 300 stud horses of greater size and better conformation 

 than those of the other districts, more south. He mentions that 

 they were bred from the best English and Arab sires. This, and 

 the fact that horses were imported from Persia in 1689, as well as 

 Litchtenstein 's mentioning of an Arab stallion at another large 

 stu^d costing its owner over 3000 "thaler" proves that more stal- 

 lions from Arabia and Persia were imported after 1689 and before 

 1782. In 1799 McCall Theal remarks in his "History of South 

 Africa ' ' that ' ' a fairly good horse for either the saddle or the trace 

 was now common and there was a healthy spirit of competition and 

 rivalry — especially among the young men as to who shall have the 

 best ***** anything tending to improve horses and cattle was 

 met with general approbation." 



With a foundation stock sound in limb, bone and constitution, 

 with the hardiness, endurance and stamina of two centuries handed 

 down to them, the intelligent horse-breeder could have accomplished 

 much in the 19th century when some of the best English "blood 

 horses" were imported; and what they have achieved makes the 

 regret of the loss of it all the keener. 



The 18th century opened with the capture of certain Spanish 

 stallions on board a hostile vessel.'^" They must have been of high 



(57) Archieves of the Cape of Good Eope (one rixdollar equals i shillings or 



approximately 1 dollar United States money.) 



(58) Sir James Barrow "Travels in South Africa" 1797-98. 



(59) George McCall Theal "History of South Africa after 1795. ' ' Vol. I. 



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