Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-04-16
Rusaian Horsss.

naH7hhu hOEB6Ns
From Review Of o. W. Wahl's ''Tbe Land of
the Car
The Russian horse is an animal of re-
markable qualities, which are set forth in
a manne to make us wish for his better
acquaintance. Fast driving holds a pre-
eminent place among the sports Of the
Russian gentlemen. No expense or
trouble is deemed too great to crafty his
fancy in that respect. A good pair of
fast trotters Of a favorite breed sometimes
bring as much as el, 900, a price which
is looked upon as ~stupendous by the au-
thor, who has evidently never heard of
the costly stud of our turf-compelling
tcwnsmsn. Mr.. R. Bonner. These horses
are fine looking animals, but are only fit
for town use. They are always driven
without binders, for it is the faith of
every Russian ~coachman hat If you give
a horse a chance to look around and ex-
anime every object before him, he will
not shy. The post horses are unmatched
in the world for swiftness and endurance.
Another kind of a horse, and devoted to
a peculiar service, is thus described,
The Tcherkess of the Great and Little
Kabsrdah breed a splendid race OF horses
Brought up in the wild steppe, amid dan
gers and nightly alarms, its apprehen.
siye Sagacity becomes early developed in
o high degree. 1t is a fine animal, with
a strong spine, powerful croop and thigh,
and great width of shoulder and chest;
the knee-caps are broad, the hoof as If
formed Of iron, head and neck tolerably
light; everything seems combined to
render them trusty, indefatigable ser
wants to man. The Tchetchents, the
most ferocious and determined brigands
of the Circasus (now fortunately only in
small numbers) used to buy their horses
in the Kabardsh. They pick out the
most promising mi year olds, take them
home, where they are, so to say, received
into the bosom of the family. They re.
ceive their food when the latter sits down
to Q meal, and they often sit in the same
room The young children will play
with them, talk to them, and crawl all
day long over and about them. What
wonder if the horse becomes almost as
wise as his msster2 The young boys will
sometimes mount him and gallon over
the prairies, but no adult thinks of be-.
striding him before be has finished his
sixth year. His bones have then be-
come firmly developed, his sinews and
feet are steel, his wind is invincible. He
knows his masters voice aud look-nay,
he has even some notion Of his charac-
ter. His nerves have from his birth been
finely tuned to the sound Of dangers or
mysterious enterprise. 1t knows when
its brigand master is on an expedition
Of risk and unlawful daring. A whis.
pered word sends him down into the high
steppe weeds or bushesp situated near
the road, at a place where the latter is
difficult, where a convenient ditch is az
hand 20 receive a carriage and its human
freight. In bresthless silence both wait
for what may turn up. The ears Of the
Tchetchentsian Black Bess slyly move
TO every watt Of the light wind, and be.
fore the man car hear the slightest sound
he sees by the demeanor of his steed that
business will soon be at hand. Harkl a
faint sound Of the postal bell fastened
to the pole of the vehicle) strikes his
ear; he feels of his gun, his pistol, his
edged sword, the large dagger kin
chal, and breathlessly awaits the an.
proach Of the travellers. Not a single
thought bestowing on the probable mum
Der or quality Of the foe, he stands yer
his horse, which slewly gathers bis feet
up beneath him. At last the moment
for action has arrived. The carriage is
just at the right distance from the ditch
or other accidental difficulty of the road
"a soft touch, and horse and man are
up. With the bound of q tiger the horse
pounces upon the leaders, attacking
them with boot and tooth. Simultaneous.
ly the rider has fred at the driver; mad
with terror, the post-horses have jumped
of the road, and before its inmates have
time to feel for their revolvers, they are
eased OF at least part of their property,
and may thank God if they have not
broken neck and limb in their fall. Be-
fore they eoove from their fright, the
Tchetchent is already several miles on
his gallop home. He has a hard ride be-
fore him, and he, as we'll as his cunning
q~uadruped, knows it full we'll; for to-
morrow there will be an inquiry about
where Muhammed, or Arssian Bey, or
Moussa, were that night. With a calm
smile our brigand friend replies to the
Russian Grade Natehalnik's question:
Where should | have been but here?
The robbery was committed near the
Akhonkskoy Stani'zi, 100 varsts $50
miles, from here, and, what at 3 o'clock
you say, why / was here at II, as | can
prove, and | could not ride that distance
in three hours The officer, up to Tchet.
chent's tricks, and anything but satisfied.
turns: to the steed to discover from his
appearance the effects of so severe a ride:
but the nag is quietly eating his corn,
and looking as contented and playful as
it he knew that his masters safety de
pended on his brave bearing" =