52 
THE ASS. 
THE ASS. 
snare of the hunter, ancl avoid it. In Persia, however, 
they are taken by digging pits in the ground, which are 
partly filled with plants and the leaves of trees. Into 
these pits the animal falls, without hurting him, and 
from the pit he is taken and tamed by the hunters. 
ANECDOTES. 
The manner in which the Asses go down the steep 
places in the Alps, Andes and other mountains, is quite 
curious and interesting. In the narrow roads, or passes, 
over those mountains, there are some places so steep and 
frightful, as to make a person’s bead dizzy to look down 
them. These paths do not run straight, but are so 
crooked, that a person cannot see what precipicejs for¬ 
ward of him more than a rod or two, and sometimes not 
so much. Places of this kind are only 1o be descended 
on Asses, there being no other animal, that can carry a 
person down them in safety. 
When one of these animals comes to the edge of a \ 
steep place, he stops, without being checked by his rider, \ 
and if his rider even whips him, he will not move until ) 
he gets ready, as though he knew his own business bet- <j 
ter than any one else. During the time when the crea- ) 
ture is standing still, he seems to be considering on the ) 
danger that lies before him, and preparing to meet it in 
the best manner in his power. He looks at the path ' 
with great attention, turning his head so as to see it with < 
one eye, and then with the other. Sometimes the poor i 
creature seems to shudder at the danger. Having in this ( 
manner prepared himself for the descent, he begins to ^ 
) act, by placing his fore feet forward in a bracing posture 
\ and then putting his hind feet close together, he brings 
<! them near his fore-feet. He then takes another look at 
S the road he has to descend, and immediately slides down, 
' as swiftly as a boy slides down a hill, on the snow. All 
’ that the rider has to do, is to keep his seat on the saddle, 
; without trying in the least to guide the Ass in the de- 
\ scent, for however great the danger may be, it has always 
, been found the most safe, to let the animal have his own 
z way. Indeed, any attempt on the part of the rider to 
i direct the animal, would probably be fatal to both. The 
art or address with which these animals go down such 
frightful precipices, is wonderful, for when one would 
think, owing to the swiftness with which they go, that 
they could not possibly have the power of changing 
their course, still they follow the path exactly, however 
crooked it. may be, and carry their riders to the foot of 
the mountain in safety. 
The wild Asses of South America, are very numerous, 
and run in large droves. The climate of that country 
being warm, and the pastures rich, these animals arrive 
to a large size, and some of them are quite beautiful, 
when compared with the Asses of this country. These 
animals are caught, and tamed, for service, in the follow¬ 
ing manner. A number of Spaniards go out, on horse¬ 
back, attended by some Indians on foot. These hunters, 
having found a drove of Asses, they surround them by 
forming, at first, a large circle, which they slowly make 
less, by driving the animals nearer each other, so that 
finally they are fenced in by a line of men, who surround 
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