238 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



Ulloa, a learned Spanifh mathematician (Till living (/) 

 fpeaks with aftonifhment of the American horfes which 

 he faw in Chili and Peru ; and celebrates thofe of Chili 

 for their pace, thofe which are called aguiliilas for their 

 extraordinary velocity, and thofe called parameros for 

 their wonderful agility in running in chafe of the flag 

 with riders upon them, down the fides, and up the fteep- 

 eft rocky parts of the mountains. He relates, that on 

 one of thofe horfes called aguiliilas which, he adds, was 

 none of the fleeteft of his kind, he has frequently gone 

 upwards of fifteen miles in fifty-feven or fifty-eight 

 minutes. In New Spain there is an incredible plenty 

 both of horfes and mules. The multitude of them may 

 be conjectured from their price ; at the time of the con- 

 queft an ordinary horfe was worth a thoufand crowns, at 

 prefent a good one may be purchafed for ten or twelve 

 (pi). Their fize is the fame as that of the common horfes 

 of Europe. In Mexico there is feldom a horfe to be feen 

 fo fmall as the breed of Sclavonia which we fee in Italy, 

 and ftill feldomer fo fmall as thofe of Iceland and other 

 countries in the North, as Anderfon, or thofe of India, 

 as Tavernier and other authors relate. Their hardinefs 

 is fuch, that it is a frequent cuftom with the inhabitants 

 of thofe countries to make journies of feventy, eighty, 

 or more miles at a good pace the whole way, without 

 flopping or changing their horfes, however fatiguing the 

 road. Saddle horfes, although they are geldings for the 



mod 



(/) Voyage to South America, part. % lib. vi. cap. 9. 



(m) In New Gallicia a middling horfe is to be had for two fequins, a mule for 

 three, or two and a half, and a herd of twenty-four mares with a ftallion for 

 twenty-five fequins. In Chili, for half a fequin or a crown may be purchafed 

 one of thofe horfes that trot, which are much admired for their hardinefs and 

 activity in running, and a mare may be bought for an equally fmall confedera- 

 tion. 



