Although far from equaling the horse in grace or beauty, the ass, in
his wild condition, is a handsome, swift, and powerful animal, so
different to the degenerated, ill-used, and scrubby creatures of this
country, that they would scarcely be recognized as belonging to the same
stock, if placed side by side. In Spain, and other parts of Southern
Europe, and the Cape de Verde Islands, they are very superior; but they
are even surpassed by those of the East. All acquainted with Scripture
know the importance formerly attached to them, when the wisest and best
of the land rode in state upon white asses. It will also be recollected,
that the Israelites were at first forbidden to use horses, and the
places of the latter were then supplied by asses. From the time,
however, that the finer animals became common, asses seem to have fallen
into disrepute; and we read that the greatest of all beings, when
performing His Divine Mission upon earth, and was about to give himself
up as a sacrifice for us, rode into Jerusalem upon an ass, thereby
shewing his humility.
Asses are eminently creatures of a warm climate, where they have a
smooth, sleek coat, well-made legs, and elevated carriage of the head.
They were introduced into Great Britain at an early period; for we hear
of twelve shillings being paid for one in the time of Ethelred; but they
are supposed to have become extinct, and to have been re-introduced in
the reign of Queen Mary, in consequence of our then intercourse with
Spain. They are still in great perfection in Persia, where there are two
varieties, one kept for riding, and the other for carrying burthens. The
former are very strong, lift their legs well, and are broken in as
horses are; but the best are said to be natives of Arabia. They are not
all larger than ours, a smaller variety being frequently met with, nor
have they all the dark streak across the shoulders. They are of a pale
yellow, silvery grey, brown and reddish colors. The celebrated white
asses are Albinos. All have a short black mane, a dark streak upon the
back; and their tail, which so particularly distinguishes them from
horses, is covered with short hair, except at the tip, which is adorned
with a tuft, generally dark in color. Their peculiar cry or bray, is
produced by two small cavities in their windpipes; their hoofs are, in
Damascus, made into rings, which the lower classes wear under their
armpits, or round their thumbs, to save them from the rheumatism; their
flesh is much esteemed as food among the Persians and Tartars. They are
fond of congregating near Lake Aral in the summer, but go further to the
south in winter. Vast hordes exist in Tartary, each headed by a chief.
They are also numerous in America, having probably been left there by
the Spaniards.
Mr. Bell describes an ass which belonged to his grandfather, who was so
swift, that matches were made against him by the possessors of the
fastest asses which could be found; but he beat them all, and even
followed the hounds, coming up in gallant style, at the death of the
fox.
The well-known antipathy between the horse and the ass is scarcely to
be explained, and has been often overcome; nevertheless, it always more
or less exists, and many instances are on record in which it has caused
inconvenience. One of these I can supply, which occurred when I was in
Portugal. I started on a donkey to make a drawing of the great aqueduct
which supplies Lisbon with its delicious water, and just as I had chosen
my position, and established myself, my husband rode up on a beautiful
and valuable horse, belonging to a friend. He wished to procure some
specimens of the neighbouring rocks, and not liking to take a borrowed
animal among them, he desired my donkey guide to hold his steed as well
as mine. The boy obeyed; and Mr. Bowdich soon disappeared among the
hollows. For a few minutes the horse stood quietly enough; but from the
beginning he gave very significant glances at the companion forced upon
him. At last he worked himself into a complete passion; snorted,
pranced, reared, tossed his head, dilated his nostrils, and tried to
reach the ass with his fore feet. He was prevented from doing this by
the boy, who opposed him with much temper and courage; he then tried to
turn round and kick the object of his indignation, who was by no means
disposed to take the insult quietly. The boy let go the ass, who gave
one fling at the horse, and then went very quietly to nibble the grass,
lying in patches on the rough ground. The horse, however, now tried to
get at the donkey; broke his bridle, pursued him, and both scampered
off, the former doing just the very thing Mr. Bowdich wished to avoid. I
was obliged to start up suddenly to get out of their way; my pencils and
paper all made independent excursions, and the only thing to be done,
was for me to catch the donkey, and the boy to catch the horse. Mine was
much the easiest task; but both being accomplished, we kept them apart,
the ass standing quietly enough, but the horse refusing to behave
himself unless the boy mounted on his back, and rode him up and down on
the smoothest path he could find. At length Mr. Bowdich returned, and
thought all that had passed a good joke, in which I could not agree with
him. He rode away; and I quietly finished my sketch.
Bishop Heber gives the following description of an ass which he saw in a
paddock, near Bombay, and which portrays a different disposition. He
says, "it was a noble wild ass from Cutch, as high as a well grown
Galloway, a beautiful animal, admirably formed for fleetness and power,
apparently very gentle and fond of horses, and by no means disliked by
them; in which respect the asses of India differ from all others of
which I have heard. The same fact has been told me of the wild ass in
Rajpootana."
Of the power of the ass to bear fatigue, the history of Mr. Wilson is
an instance. He drove one which was his own property, in a light gig,
from Ipswich to London, and back again, a distance of 140 miles, in two
days. The ass went at a pace little short of that of a good gig horse,
and fed well at different stages. On his return, he came in without the
aid of a whip, at the rate of seven miles an hour, and performed the
whole journey with ease; he was twelve hands and a half high, and half
bred Spanish and English.
Asses, although they do credit to good feeding, can live on very little,
and that little of inferior quality. They have a decided manner of
refusing to move when they are overloaded; and they are often seized
with an immovable fit without having any apparent reason for it. In
steep places they are invaluable, and their feet more sure than those of
men would be. I have seen them put both their fore feet out together,
and let them slip, then drag their hind feet up to them, and repeat this
process on descending the vitrified, and almost perpendicular roads of
Madeira, taking a zigzag direction across the road each time. Mules do
the same, and perhaps derive the faculty from their asinine blood.
There cannot be a better proof of the intellect of asses, than by
shewing them to be fond of the fine arts; therefore the account of one
at Chartres, must enter into this work. "He used to go to the Chateau
d'Ouarville, to hear the music that was often performed there. The
owner of the Chateau was a lady, who had an excellent voice; and
whenever she began to sing, he never failed to draw nearer the window,
and listen very attentively. Once, when a piece was performed, which no
doubt pleased him better than any he had heard before, he left his
ordinary post, walked without ceremony into the music-room; and in order
to add to the concert, what he thought perhaps might be an improvement,
he began to bray with all his might."