BOOTAN. 
23 
Indeed, some of those that come into our hands aged, have acquired 
habits of resistance, which it is rather difficult to modify or reform. 
These are chiefly to be attributed to the strong hand with which they 
are governed: I have seen aTangun horse tremble in every joint, when 
the groom has seized both reins of a severe bit, and compressed his jaws, 
as it were, in a vice. Under the strongest impression of fear, they exe- 
cute their labour with an energy unsubdued even by fatigue; and their 
willingness to work, added to their comparatively small value, has 
drawn upon them a heavy share of the hardest services in Bengal, 
equal with that of the tallest and most powerful horses in India, both 
for the road and draught; yet, in the heaviest carriages, they are never 
seen to flinch, but often betray an impatience, and start forward with 
a spring, that sometimes surprises their driver. If they happen to have 
been unskilfully treated, they will not unfrequently bear against the bit 
with a force which seems to increase with every effort to restrain them. 
Sometimes, with less apparent cause on their side, they lean against 
each other, as though it were a struggle, which of them should push 
his companion down; at other times, they lean with so great an incli¬ 
nation from the pole, that a person unacquainted with them, would 
apprehend every instant, that they must either fall, or the traces 
break. These are habits, indeed, which it requires the greatest pa¬ 
tience to endure, and a long course of mild and good usage to sub¬ 
due. By such means it is practicable to govern them ; but to a person 
not endued with a very even temper, I would by no means recommend 
the contest; for, after all, strong and hardy as Tanguns are, they are 
less able to bear the heat of an Indian sun than any other breed, and 
they often fall victims to it, when hard driven in very hot weather. 
