pected ho would Have engaged the Zeenkaub’s more pacific amhhaf, as
he was patiéatly labonriilg up the Ml, and-by ffis dÉscimffiture, put us
all completely te thé rout. This species, which k indigenous toBootan,
has its title from tb eJ^ o n ia which they are bred} being, called Tan*
gun, vulgarly Tannian, from Tangustan, the general appellation of that
assemblage of mountains, which constitutes the territory of BocStafi/
The breed is altogether confined within these limits, being found in
none of the neighbouring countries; neither in Assam? Napal? Tibet?
nor Bengal» I am inclined to consider it as art original and distittcl
spëcies: they are distinguished in colour by a general tendency to
piebald; those of one colour are fare, and not so valUaMdin the opb
nion-of the Booteea, but they arc more esteemed by-the English, and
bear a higher pfiee than the party-colotifed, whichi aMiCQ&ipesed of
the various shades of black, bay, and sorrel r uporra ground oftfe©
purest white. They are usually about thirteen hands in height, and
are remarkable for their symmetry and just proportions ? uniting,' in
an eminent degree, troth strength and beauty» They are start Bodied^
clean limbed, and, though deep in the chest, ytet extremely active * Erom
this: conformation they derive such a Superiority in strength of muscle,
when condensed by the repeated effort of struggling against acclivities,
astern never be attained by a horse of a thin arid Iigjhi «Mulder» It
is surprising to observe the energy and vigour apparent in the movements
of a Tangtin. Accustomed to struggle against opposition, they
seem to inherit this spirit as a principle of their nature; and hence
they have acquired a character, among Europeans, of being headstrong
and ungovernable; though, in reality, it proceeds from' an excess of
eagerness to perform their task.
Indeed, someiof those that ebmedhto ourchandsaged, have acquired
habit« of resistance, twhidh *it as rather difficult to modify or .reforiia
These -areichiefly to,he>aMrfeuted:3to the atrong hand-with w|Mi they
ape governed 1' h^jve'S^sna Tangun horse -tremble in every .joint, when
thegroomhas seized hath reins <of a severe bit, and eampressed his jaws,
as it-were, in’ a vie'e:-. Under the stronger impress,io®,of fear, ifthey exe?
eutptheir labour wh-h-.gnenesgy unsubdued even by fatigue; and their
wilfogneg&.t-o work, added do 4hdi>tateyaratfy^s «mal1 value, has
drawn .^popt-begi a jbeavy share pf the hardest-ssjwa&s in-Bengal,
equal .wifhjtfaat of the tallest andanostpowerful1 ’horses an India, hath
for the rpad and draught j| yet, in the heaviest 'carriages, they ace never
seen to iflitjch, hut oftgn -betray an impatience, and start forward with
a spring, that sometimes surprises their driver, >.i£they happen to have
been unskilfully treated, tfaey,■ w.Ul -nflt,infrequently bear agam-sfithe'bit
With a force which seems to increase with e^gry'effort to restrain them.
Sometimes; with-less apparent catfri^bn»': their [side/ they lean against
egGh other, as though it w|ire' 4 struggle;1 which of -them should .push
blS companion down; a* qthen rimes-, ftfrfy lean with s^grei^an.inoh-
pat-ion from -the pole, that a.petgop unacquainted with %hhm,! would
apprehend. ,ej$ry ipatant, that ttaftmust eifaqr fall;- or the’ traces
break. These -are habits,' indeed,'whiebit requires the- greatest pa<-
tience to epdiiggi and a fopgf course’of mild apd good .usage to sub-
due. By such .means ,it is practicable to govern- riiemy but -to a person
pot endued with apvery e$en temper,! would by-no means recommend
the contest; for, after all,sftofigi'apdhardy,$s Tatiguns-arq, they are
Jess able sto bear the heat of an Indian sun dban.-atoy-other fceed, and
they:often fall victims to it, when hard driven:in ycry-hot weather.