The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-15
WISE CANADIAN HORSES.
Beginning Of . New Breed-A Mai Car
rier's Horse ~ BlOndin.

EtV , hSsSS - "s
KSowLroN. Canada. Dec. l3.-To most
people it would seem to be impossible that
the horse, by nature a denizen Of a warm
or at least a temperate country. could
thrive in a wild state amid the rigors OF a
Canadian climate. That this is possible is
shown by a recent incident.
A brace Of moose hunters, who were
camping out in the woods a few nights ago
in the extreme north of Pontiac county,
thought they saw a white moose feeding
In the scrub near by. Some scientific,
and painful stalking was ion and just as
rifles were being levelled at the game IL
saved its life. and startled the hunters
by giving utterance to a decidedly equine
neighing.
1t was then joined by a second dark
colored horse from the shadow Of the woods
and this n also proceeded to browse
upon the twigs n branches. As soon as
the men showed themselves, the pair dashed
back into the woods and disappeared.
The next day they narrated their exper-
ienoe to a band of shanty men and found
that three or -four Of them had also seen
the pair of horses running wild in the woods.
At times the pair were accompanied by a
big, red mare and a young foal,
The mare was recognized as one aban-
doNed in the woods two years w. The
two horses are supposed to be the team Of
a lumberman who was drowned.
These animals have managed to subsist
upon the beaver meadows in summer,
and by browsing on twigs in winter for sew
eral years. Who knows but that there Is
a nucleus here for the raising Of a drove Of
hardy though perhaps stunted wild horses
such as are found on the Welsh Mountains
or In the cold and barren Shetland and
Orkney Islands TO the north Of Scotland?
The wonderful sagacty Of horses often
avails TO prevent accidents in those northern
wilds in the early winter. For instance,
the writer once started to drive down Bark
Lake on new ice at nightfall. After ten
hours travel the horse, a very speedy
Norman thoroughbred, came to a dead
stop. and refused TO 60 forward.
The beast had by her past actions in
spired such confidence in her intelligence
that her driver not daring to attempt a turn
In the pitchy darkness for fear Of losing
his bearings, covered her with the sleigh
robes. and stamped about on the ice near
her all through the longest night in his
orRserience;
frozen man and horse upon the ice and open
water just thirty feet in front Of them.
At the mares feet was a mans fuQue or
cap and a mans body was frozen into the
ice. four or five yards away.
Experiment showed that six feet before
the sleigh the ice was after the nights
frost only three inches thick. Had an
other step been taken. there would probably
have been one more added 10 the unwritten
fatalities of the pine region.
The mail carrier on the Gatineau road
In the ante-railway days, once had a notable
experience with a horse. He rode up one
very dark night In the late autumn 10 the
Alvin post Office and stalked into the
little store with his bags, where he was
greeted with the utmost amazement by
the crowd around the stove.
How did you get herel- they asked
How did you cross the big Hamilton
creekp-
what do you mean How do I always
cross it,
swhy, man. cried the crowd. the bridge
went out just at shutdown. There Is no
crossing there
The driver laughed INTERNATIONALLY and
sid he had ridden up the Rad Ia the usual
manner. To settle the matter the men
took their lanterns and walked down 10
the site 81 the bridge
Sure enough the bridge hal been washed
away, leaving only -nnIe ~ IA" crib work
aud the middle Logo or ~stringer- upon
which the centre Of th" bridge covering
used 10 lie Ihe-a were about eighteen
iaches wide, extending right across the
i5O-foO' gully and were swaying viii the
current on th.lT uncertain foundation
And on thrs' logr laid singly .nd to ond.
were VA" marks ~ the mail mans hor-.'s
shoes over thiuv feet ~ aging water
ln a night ~ Egyptian darkn"s-.th" hor-r
had unfalt"nng travoT-ei that narrow
pathway
NJ unh"~itaiing had HI movements
been that The man on HE hAck Was all
uueonG ouz ~ HE danR"t. AMI ~
the fNrt tlat the bnds" hAd bs-n canl~i
away aBd hat HE bsa-t VA doins ths
hundln art. ulHlu . ~rSlugiug rtunErf
/ IlaT0 WUH nat a man Ia tie FF..uN Il
uhs.ryofH. Sip vuul venture 60 make
ne saIa. IAssasr nest day in bpiad dHs
hEli ~" maii oafnsf thfre up lAH Job
| tie uanf TIN