22ê 



To this may be added the long journeys of a hundred 

 leagues and more, which these people make with the 

 same horse, during the whole of which, the horse is 

 only permitted to rest at night. 



Horses capable of enduring such hardships, must 

 be naturally of a firm and strong constitution ; but 

 it is perhaps, in a great measure, owing to their be- 

 ing early accustomed to severe fatigue, and the na- 

 ture of their food, as I have seen those which were 

 very old, and had been in constant service. The 

 horses, in consequence of their différent gaits, are 

 divided into three breeds, the most common of which 

 is the trotters. The horses of this breed, as the most 

 robust and vigorous, are principally used by the 

 country people. The second are the pacers, who 

 are more easy gaited than the best Andelusian 

 horses. It is said that this step is peculiar to this 

 breed, and that it is observable even in the colts ; 

 it is the best supported, and the quickest upon a 

 long journey, for which reason this breed is in more 

 request than either of the others. The parade horses 

 constitute the third breed ; these never go out of a foot 

 pace, move with much grace, and are particularly in 

 demand in Peru, where they are employed on occa- 

 sions of parade and ceremony ; the price of them 

 is from one hundred to five hundred crowns. 



The Chilians are very careful to preserve the 

 breed of their horses pure, and not suffer any inter- 

 mixture. During the winter almost all the horses 

 are kept at pasture in the vallies of the Andes, 

 from whence they return in the spring very fat and 



