The horse / by William Youatt. With A treatise of draught.

  • William Youatt
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The horse / by William Youatt. With A treatise of draught. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    46/600 page 34
    Tlio WILD HORSE is found in various parts of Tartary; but nowhere can it be considered as the remnant of an original race that has never been domesti¬ cated. The liorses of the Ukraine, and those of South America, are equally the descendants of those that had escaped from the slavery of man. The origin of the horses of Tartary has been clearly traced to those that were employed in the siege of Azof, in 1657. Being suffered, for want of forage, to penetrate into the desert in order to find subsistence, they strayed to too great a distance to be pur¬ sued or recalled, and became wild and created a new breed. They are generally of a red colour, with a black stripe along the back. They are divided into numerous herds, at the head of each of which is an old stallion, who has fought his way to the crown, and whose pre-eminence is acknowledged by the rest. On the approach of apparent danger, the mares and their foals are driven into a close body, in front of which the males are ranged. There are frequent contests between the different herds. The domesticated horse, if he falls in their way unprotected by his master, is instantly attacked, and speedily destroyed; but at the sight of a human being, and especially mounted, they aU take to flight, and gallop into the recesses of the desert. The young stallions as they grow up are driven from the herd, and are seen straggling about at a distance, until they are strong enough to form herds of wild mares for themselves. The Cossacks are accustomed to hunt the wild horses, partly to keep up their own stock, and partly for food. A species of vulture is sometimes made use of in this affair. The bird pounces upon the poor animal, and fastens itself on his head or neck, fluttering his wdngs, and perplexing, and half-blinding him, so that he becomes an easy prey to the Tartar. The young horses are generally tamed without much difficulty; they are, after a little while, coupled with ^ tame horse, and grow gentle and obedient. The wild horses thus reclaimed are usually found to be stronger and more serviceable than any which can be bred at home. In the great deserts of Tartary, the herds of wild horses are much larger. Many thousands, as on the Pampas of South America, are often collected toge¬ ther. The Kirghise Tartars either capture them for use, or spear them for food. The flesh of the horse is a frequent article of food among the Tartars ; and although they do not, like the Indians of the Pampas, eat it raw, their mode of cookery would not be very inviting to the European epicure. They cut the muscular parts into slices, and place them under their saddles, and after they liave galloped thirty or forty miles, the meat becomes tender and sodden, and fit for their table. At all their feasts, the first and last, and most favourite dish, is a horse’s head, unless they have a roasted foal, which is the greatest delicacy that can be procured. When water was not at hand, the Scythians used to draw blood from their horses, and drink it; and the Dukes of Muscovy, for nearly two hundred and sixty years, presented the Tartar ambassadors with the milk of mares*. • Most of tlie Tartars manufacture a liquor called koumiss, from the milk of the mare. It has a very pleasant taste of mingled sweet and sour, and is considerably nutritious. The Tartars say that it is an excellent medicine, and almost a specific in consumption, and some diseases of debility. It is thus made :—To a certain quantity of fresh mare’s milk, a sixth part of water, and an eighth part of very sour milk, or of old koumiss, is added. The vessel is covered with a thick cloth, and set in a place of moderate warmth. It is thus left at rest twenty-four hours, when the whole of it will have become sour, and a thick substance will have gathered on the top. The whole is then beaten with a stick, in the form of a churn- staff, until it becomes blended into one homo¬ geneous mass. Twenty-four hours after this the beating is repeated, or the liquor is agitated in a churn, until the whole is again mingled together. The process is now complete and the koumiss is formed, but it must be always well shaken before it is used.—Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, vol. i. p. 181. The Tartars have discovered a method of obtaining an ardent spirit from this koumiss, which they call rack, or racky, from the name
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