229 



vigorous. When the inhabitants train their colts, 

 which is commonly done at three years of age, they 

 begin by scoring the upper muscle of the tail, to pre- 

 vent the motion of it, which operation they call 

 castige* 



The asses of Chili are so strong and tall, that it is 

 difficult to recognise in them the original stock. I 

 scarcely know to what circumstance to attribute this 

 favourable alteration, unless it may be the state of 

 liberty in which these animals live, for they are made 

 but very little use of ; in the vallies of the Andes 

 they are even found in a wild state, and are hunted 

 by the Chilians for the sake of their skins ; among 

 these are some that have hair sufficiently long to be 

 spun with ease. The mules are an excellent breed ; 

 they are very strong, and are particularly distin* 

 guished for being very sure footed and active. 



The horned cattle, upon which the influence of 

 climate appears to be greater than on others, have 

 in Chili, owing to its favourable temperature, ac^ 

 quired a larger size, while their flesh has become 

 better and more nutritive. The oxen of the mari- 

 time are, however, of an inferior size to those of the 

 middle provinces, nor can these last be compared to 

 those which are bred in the vallies of the Andes. 

 These cattle are kept the whole year in the open field, 

 and their food, which never fails them, consists en- 

 tirely of the different kinds of herbs and grasses 

 which follow each other in succession. The species, 

 far from exhibiting any degeneracy, has improved 

 considerably, and though I have observed that the 

 cattle of the maritime provinces are small, it is only 



