Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-12-09

be very smooth and hard. The shoes Of their
horses are never roughened, as in this coun
try, by turning up the ends OF them, but bv
inserting two or more steel screws. which
can DC removed or renewed with pleasure
The horses OF Canada are very hardy ani-
mails; their best pace is a trot; they are &C
customed TO much hard usage and hard work,
and are the most willing creatures ia the
world, Tor they never refuse the draught-
They are brought from the country into Que
bee, IN the coolest weather, and left standing
IN the open mir, without any covering, Cor
hours together, while their owners are trans
acting business or drinking, and they seem
not TO be any the worse for il. In the winter,
the Canadian horse, like all other quadrnpeds
Of that county, acquires an increased quan.
tlty Of fur TO protect him from the cold, and
the carry comb is never used.
When the horses have been heated By fast
driving, 10 a cold day, they appear TO have
a sort OF icicle al every hair, and ieicles tive
or three inches IN length arc often suspended
from their noses Travelling on Lake Cham
plain IS ~ all fines dangerous, and il is very
common for sledgcs, horses, and men, total
through the ice, where the water is snme hun
bred feet deep; and there is no warning o
danger till the horses drop in, pulling ths
slcdge after them, luckily, the weak places
are of no great extent, the traveller eStricaic.
himself from the sledge as soon as possis lc
and he fnds the Zee strong enough 20 snppor1
him, thonsh il viii not bear The weight o. sLs
horses. The pulling of them out is lone in
mainer perfect unique: the horses are sirang
led 10 save ibrir lives When the horses cal
through for there are always two IN these
sledges-their struggles only tend TO injnr,
aud Stlt thar. hHf - tfnx, hnra altxaxl
round their neck a rope with a running moose
the moment the ice breaks. the driver an,
passt myers gel ont. and catching hold of III,
rope, pub il with oil their force, which in
very few moments strangles the horses; ans
no sooner does this happen than they rise Il
the water, float on one side, and are drawn
out on Strong ice, where the moose Of the rop'
being hoscncd, respiration returns, and IN
short time the horses are on their feet. an,
az much alive as ever. This operation ha
been known 10 be performed two or tire
times a day on the same horses. The Cana
dams tell you. that horses which are often OF
the lake GET so accustomed to heing hangtd
that they think nothing at all Of il. But tho
the case is very ommon the attempt does
not always succeed; for it sometimes bappeG'
that both sledgc and horse go 10 the bottom
g they cannot be extricated in time. Anosh-
err remarkable fact in regard to the Canadian
horses is their fondness for fish, The fish
thus eatsn, except in size, resemble a cod
and are from four 10 nine inches long; the
English call them .tommy cod Ihe man
ner of catching them is BY eating holes in
the ice, and putting down either tets or lines
Over this hole a temporary house is built
large enough 10 contain half-a-d en- people
and 4 stove TO keep them warm. They whe
cannot afford deals 10 build q house, subs'i
tute large pieces Of ice, with which they form
a defence against the weather. Midnight i
the best time Tor fishing. and astiong iigh'
IS placed near The hole, which attracts the az
~teniion Of the Gsh, and brings them roaad il
in large quantities There are o number Of
these houses on the liver ST Charles, which
have a strange appearance in . dark night,
especially those made Of ice"