118 
A LECTURE ON OLD HORSESHOES. 
not the name of the professor of veterinary surgery in the Ander- 
sonian University of Glasgow be a by-word and a proverb 
among us. 
£ HtsrrUanra* 
A Lecture on Old Horseshoes. 
When Opay Mico, one of the Indian kings, from the Creek 
country, arrived in New York, the residence at that time of 
Washington, and the great council of the thirteen Jires, his atten¬ 
tion was very much attracted by those huge floating machines, in 
which the white men pass over the immense waters from country 
to country, and to those remote limits where the great star rises 
over the regions of the east. Whilst his imagination was 
busied in contemplating the wisdom and sagacity, not only of 
those who have with so much art constructed those machines, 
but also of the men who are entrusted with the management 
and direction of them on the face of such a dangerous element, 
“ How/ ? said he, u is it possible for them, when once they have 
left the main shores, to direct the prow with so much art and 
precision to some small spot of earth, placed like a hill in the 
midst of unfathomable waters V’ 
Such was the reasoning of the mighty chief Opay Mico. 
He determined to go on board one of those mighty and curious 
machines, to make some inquiries on the subject. In company 
with his interpreter he w T ent on board one of these big canoes. 
The captain endeavoured to make him comprehend the use of 
every part of the furniture that was subservient to the navigating 
and manoeuvring of/ his vessel. Opay Mico being a man of 
great observation and discernment soon comprehended the use 
and design of the greater part of the objects that he saw. At 
last, directing his observations to the lower extremity of one of 
the masts, he observed a thin piece of iron, of a form approaching 
to circular, and pierced with several small holes thereupon. On 
questioning the captain, what could be the use of this flat semi¬ 
circular metal, the captain informed him that the iron which 
had so much attracted his attention was no other than a common 
horseshoe! On being asked by Opay Mico of what possible 
use or advantage it could be to the ship, the commander at first 
seemed confused at his question, but, instantly recollecting 
himself, he invited him to set down on his wigwam, and then 
addressed him as follows:—“You must know that there is a 
wonderful connexion and sympathy between the things above 
