Among Horses in India. 89 



into the shape of the staple of a padlock. The two legs of 

 the staple are held a few inches apart and parallel, by means 

 •of strong broad tape or pieces of leather. They rest along 

 the back with the spine in the space between them, the 

 angle formed by the bent portion of the tube being in front 

 ■of the withers. A folded blanket is used under the sunkha, 

 to prevent it rubbing the skin. Boxes and other packages 

 are carried by being placed in opposite ends of a broad sling, 

 formed by sewing together the edges of a piece of canvas. 

 The sling rests with its central portion across the sunkha, the 

 packages being arranged so as to balance equally. 



Donkeys. 



Donkeys, though not employed with armies, have been 

 of great use in carrying food in India during the famines of 

 the last few years. They are usually much smaller than 

 English donkeys, but can carry great weights for their size, 

 and are so tractable that a boy can drive fifteen or twenty of 

 them without difficulty. They are very convenient for 

 putting into ferry-boats when crossing rivers, as they are so 

 light that when the boats are high in the sides the drivers 

 frequently lift up their fore-feet over the gunwale and tilt 

 them in. 



I may here mention that some of the ferries in India are 

 not provided with either piers or planks for enabling animals 

 to walk easily into the boats. Many horses are extremely 

 nervous, and difficult to force in, when attempts are made to 

 ■do so by pulling at their bridles, and whipping them ; but if 

 one fore-leg be gently lifted over the gunwale, they will 

 almost invariably leap in without further trouble. 



Natives are often very awkward in putting horses into 

 boats, and ought to be under European direction when doing 

 so, but they are decidedly better than Europeans in both 

 loading and unloading boats with bullocks or camels. 



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