520 



THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



berg. Moshesh, who was the founder of 

 the Basuto nation, came to the front about 

 the time of Chaka's death ^1828)). It is 

 well known that the first horses ever 

 owned by the Basuto were obtained from 

 the farmers in the territory of the Orange 

 Free State, about 1845, This commenced 

 a trade in horses between the farmers of 

 that territory and the Basuto, which was 

 carried on briskly up to the year 1865, at 

 which time the Boer-Basuto war broke 

 out, which lasted for several years. The 

 trade in horses was subsequently renewed, 

 hundreds of horses being taken into 

 Basutoland and exchanged for cattle and 

 grain, amongst them being a considerable 

 number of well-bred stallions. In addi- 

 tion to the horses so acquired, large 

 numbers of Basuto were employed by the 

 farmers as servants, and were paid to a 

 considerable extent in stock, including 

 horses (mares). Owing to the severity of 

 the winters in the mountainous region, 



the progeny of these horses, while retain- 

 ing many of the valuable qualities of their 

 progenitors, and perhaps improving in 

 hardiness, became more or less stunted in 

 size, and gradually developed into what is 

 now known as the Basuto pony. During 

 the last ten years a number of so-called 

 Basuto ponies have been successful in 

 Johannesburg and other racing centres ; 

 most of these can be traced, either directly 

 or indirectly, to the Free State. Take, for 

 instance, that well-known chestnut pony 

 Peter, who was sold in Johannesburg for 

 £500. He was bred in the Orange Free 

 State, as was also Bafar, another well- 

 known pony, and others, including Sol- 

 dat, the fastest pony in Basutoland at 

 present. Scottie, the fastest galloway here 

 at this time, is a son of Honesty, who was 

 well known as a racer in the Orange Free 

 State, and was, I think, a son of Cham- 

 pagne Charlie. 



Pound Notices. 



THE stock impounded as hereunder will 

 be sold, unless previously released, 

 on the 4th December next : — 



Harding. —Bay gelding, about 13-2 

 hands, black points, near hind fetlock 

 white, switch tail, while blaze down face, 

 branded P on near hind quarter. 



Mooi River. — Red Yearling ox, piece 

 out tips both ears, branded on left hind 

 leg FB or PB, little white on belly. 

 Running on the farm Rose Mount, 

 undersized dark-roan yearling heifer, no 

 brands or marks. 



Estcourt. — Running on the farm Bea- 

 consfield, chestnut mare, white face, near 

 hind leg branded K on thigh, chestnut 

 foal at foot. Two-year-old bay filly. 

 Small bay mare, long tail. Bay gelding, 

 branded JG on near thigh. Cream mare, 

 branded on oft' thigh Brown mare, 



branded on oft' thigh ^E, two white hind 

 feet, brands faint and indistinct. Brown 

 mare, long tail, no brands visible. 



Weeuen. — Running on the farm Rivers- 

 dale, dark-bay gelding, about three years 

 old, no brands or marks. 



Port Shepstone. — Bay pony, black 

 points, long tail and mane, with white 

 hind fetlocks. Dark-brown pony, white 



star, white fetlocks, left eye injured. 

 Black gelding, speckled white hind fet- 

 locks, stands about 14 2 hands. 



Acton Homes.— Bay mare, indistinct 

 brand on left leg, looks like P5 or PS. 

 Bay gelding, hollow back, indistinct 

 brand on left leg, looks like P5 or PS. 



Boston. — Dark-bay or brown horse, one 

 ear slit, low in condition. Running on 

 the farm " Inhluyani," black-and-white 

 heifer, about three years old, both hind 

 feet, belly, flanks, and half of tail white, 

 no brands visible. 



Nqutu. — Brown mare, both hind fet- 

 locks white, about 13-2, no brands. The 

 black mare advertised for sale in 

 Government Notice No. 498, of 10th 

 September, I'JOl, has been lost from the 

 Nqutu Pound since the 6th instant. 



Woodend Pound. — Blue-and-white 

 bull, about two years old, no brand, value 

 about £6. 



The earliest mention of Epsom as a racing 

 centre occurs in the Lotidon Gazette of 1703 ; 

 three plates of £'60, £10, and £5 value were to 

 be run for. In 1704 a meeting was held, but 

 only one plate was offered, and that worth but 

 £20. Racing at Epsom has been continuous 

 since 1730. 



