Page:OntheConductofMantoInferiorAnimals.pdf/30

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CART HORSES.
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him there is no remission, or mercy, or feeling, or compassion. He is made to sustain considerably more than his proportion of labour; his limbs forced to be continually on the stretch, while the rest of the team are allowed to be exercised moderately. At feeding times, the coarsest provision is selected, and to prevent him from reaching the corn, his head is barbarously tied up to the rack. Many such unfortunate animals have dropped down dead in the stable, from excessive labour and want of sustenance.

The excellent temper and usefulness of many a valuable horse has been ruined by the conduct of our petty tyrants of the whip. The manœuvres of "Come hither who-o," &c. are inculcated so obdurately by dint of torture, that the spirit of the horse is absolutely broken; whence ensue stubbornness aud desperation. At one instant the horse is whipped for holding too close to the driver, at the next, for bearing off too much; now, for going too quickly, then for going too slow; by and by, for stopping; afterwards, because he did not stop. In this manner the faculties of the poor beast are totally confounded, and caused to degenerate into an inert and stagnant state of insensibility, instead of making a progress in that ratio of improvement, of which he is highly capable.

It appears that the Dutch settlers in the interior of southern Africa quicken the exertions of their labouring oxen by cutting them with large knives! Mr. Barrow has minutely detailed this shocking cruelty in his Travels into that country. "Even in the neighbourhood of the Cape, where, from a more extended civilization, one would expect a greater degree of humanity," he says, "several atrocious acts