pricked up his ears, and listened. I sprang forward, seized him by the
mane, and vaulted upon his back. As I stooped forward to gather up the
reins, which were dangling from his head, he caught me by the cuff of
the jacket--luckily it was but the cuff!--and tore it up to the
shoulder. Instantly he seized me again; but this time he succeeded
rather better, having a small portion of the skin and flesh of my
thigh between his teeth. The intense pain occasioned by the bite, or
rather bruise, of a horse's mouth, can only be properly judged of by
those who have felt it. I was the madder of the two now; and of all
animals, an enraged man is the most dangerous and the most fearless. I
gave him a blow between the ears with the end of the whip; and he went
down at once, stunned and senseless, with his legs doubled up under
him, and his nose buried in the ground. I drew his fore-legs from
under him, that he might rise the more readily, and then lashed him
into life. He turned his head slowly round, and looked at me, and then
I saw that the savage glare of his eye was nearly quenched, and that,
if I could follow up the advantage I had gained, I should ultimately
be the conqueror. I now assisted him to rise, mounted him, and struck
at once with whip and spur. He gave a few bounds forward, a stagger or
two, and then fell heavily upon his side. I was nearly under him;
however, I did save my distance, although that was all. I now began to
feel sorry for him; his wonderful speed had won my respect; and as I
was far from being naturally cruel, whip or spur I never used except
in cases of necessity: so I thought I would allow him to lie for a few
minutes, if he did not incline to get up of himself. However, as I had
no faith in the creature, I sat down upon him, and watched him
intently. He lay motionless, with his eyes shut; and had it not been
for the firm and fast beat of his heart, I should have considered him
dying from the effects of the blow; but the strong pulsation told me
that there was plenty of life in him; and I suspected that he was