CHAPTER XLV. STABLE WISDOM.
ALMOST with the first appearance of light, Meriwether came and knocked at our chamber doors, so earnestly that the whole household must have been roused by the noise. Our horses could be heard pawing the gravel at the front door, impatient of delay. The sun was scarcely above the horizon before we were all mounted and briskly pursuing our road, followed by Carey, who seemed, on the present occasion, to be peculiarly charged with professional importance.
The season was now advanced into the first week of August: a time
when, in this low country, the morning air begins to grow sharp, and
to require something more than the ordinary summer clothing. The dews
had grown heavier; and the evaporation produced that chilling cold
which almost indicated frost. There was, however, no trace of this
abroad; but every blade of grass, and every spray was thickly begemmed
with dewdrops. The tall and beautiful mullen, which suggested one of
the forms of the stately candelebra—almost the first plant that puts
forth in the spring, and amongst the first to wither—was now to be
seen marshalled in groups over the fallows, with its erect and
half-dried spire hung round with that matchless jewelry, which the
magic hand of night scatters over the progeny of earth. The fantastic
spider-webs hung like fairy tissues over every bush, and decked with their drapery every bank; whilst their filaments, strung with watery beads, and glittering in the level beams of the sun, rendered them no longer snares for the unwary insects for which they were spread. Our road through the woods was occasionally waylaid by an obtrusive pine-branch that, upon the slightest touch, shook its load of vapor upon our shoulders, as we stooped beneath it. The lowing of cows and the bleating of sheep struck upon our ear from distant folds; and all the glad birds of summer were twittering over the woodland and open plain. The rabbit leaped timidly along the sandy road before us, and squatted upon his seat, as if loth to wet his coat amongst the low whortleberry and wild-indigo that covered the contiguous soil.
Emerging from the forest, a gate introduced us to a broad stubble-field, across whose level surface, at the distance of a mile, we could discern the uprising of several thin lines of smoke, that formed a light cloud which almost rested on the earth; and, under this, a cluster of huts was dimly visible. Near these, an extensive farm-yard surrounded a capacious barn together with some fodder-houses and stacks of grain, upon which were busily employed a number of laborers, who, we could see, were building up the pile from a loaded wagon that stood close by.
As we advanced, a range of meadows opened to our view, and stretched into the dim perspective, until the eye could no longer distinguish their boundary. Over this district, detached herds of horses were observable, whisking their long tails as they grazed upon the pasture, or curvetting over the spaces that separated them from each other.
"There!" said Meriwether, kindling up at the sight of this plain, "there is the reward I promised you for your ride. I have nothing better to show you at Swallow Barn. You see, on yonder meadow, some of the most unquestioned nobility of
Virginia. Not a hoof stays on that pasture, that is not warmed by as pure blood as belongs to any potentate in the world."
Carey rode up to us, at this speech, to observe, as I suppose, the effect which his master's communication might have upon me; for he put on a delighted grin, and said somewhat officiously—
"I call them my children, master Littleton."
"Truly then, Carey, you have a large family," said I.
"They are almost all on 'em, sir," replied Carey, "straight down from old Diomed, that old master Hoomes had fotch out from England, across the water more than twenty years ago. Sir Archy, master Littleton, was a son of Old Diomed, and I can't tell you how many of his colts I've got. But, sir, you may depend upon it, he was a great horse! And thar was Duroc, master! You've hearn on him?—I've got a heap of colts of Duroc's.—Bless your heart! he was another of old Diomed's."
"Carey is a true herald," said Meriwether. "Nearly all that you see have sprung from the Diomed stock. It is upwards of forty years since Diomed won the Derby in England. He was brought to this country in his old age; and is as famous amongst us, almost, as Christopher Columbus; for, he may be said to have founded a new empire here. Besides that stock, I have some of the Oscar breed; one of the best of them is the gelding I ride. You may know them, wherever you see them, by their carriage and indomitable spirit."
"I know nothing about it," said I,—"but I have heard a great deal said of the Godolphin Arabian."
"I can show you some of that breed, too," replied Meriwether,— "Wildair, who I believe was a grandson of the Arabian."
"Old Wildair—mark you, master!" interrupted Carey, very sagely, "not Col. Symmes' Wildair."
"Old Wildair, I mean," rejoined Frank." He was imported
into Maryland, and taken back to England before the Revolution:— but I have some of his descendants."
"And thar's Regulus's breed," said Carey. "They tell me he was genuine Arabian too."
"I am not sure, returned Meriwether, "that I have any of that breed.Carey affects to say that there are some of them here."
"Bless your soul! master Frank," interrupted the old groom, "didn't I carry the Ace of Diamonds, over here to the Bowling Green, that next summer coming after the war, to—"
"Ride on and open the gate for us," said Frank.—"Set that old negro to talking of pedigrees, and his tongue goes like a mill!"
We now entered upon the meadow, and soon came up with several of
the beautiful animals whose ancestry had been the subject of this
discussion. They were generally in the wild and unshorn condition of
beasts that had never been subjected to the dominion of man. It was
apparent that the proprietor of the stock kept them more for their
nobleness of blood than for any purpose of service. Some few of the
older steeds showed the care of the groom; but even these were far
from being in that sleek state of nurture which we are apt to
associate with the idea of beauty in the horse. One, skilled in the
points of symmetry, would, doubtless, have found much to challenge his
admiration in their forms; but this excellence was, for the most
part, lost upon me. Still, however, unpractised as I was, there was,
in the movements of these quadrupeds, a charm that I could not fail to
recognize. No sooner were we descried upon the field, than the
different troops, in the distance, were set in motion, as if by some
signal to which they were accustomed; and they hurried tumultuously to
the spot where we stood, exerting their utmost speed, and presenting a
wonderfully animated spectacle. The
swift career of the horse, upon an open plain, is always an interesting sight; but as we saw it now, exhibited in squadrons, pursuing an unrestrained and irregular flight, accompanied with wild and expressive neighs, and enlivened with all the frolicksome antics that belong to high-mettled coursers,—it was a scene of singularly gay and picturesque beauty. The ludicrous earnestness, too, with which they crowded upon us!—there was in it the natural grace of youth, united with the muscular vigor of maturity. One reared playfully, as he thrust himself into the compact assembly; another advanced at a long, swinging trot, striking the ground at every step with a robust and echoing stroke, and then, halted suddenly, as if transfigured into a statue. Some kicked at their comrades, and seized them with their teeth in the wantonness of sport: others leaped in quick bounds, and made short circuits, at high speed, around the mass, with heads and tails erect, displaying the flexibility of their bodies in caracols of curious nimbleness. The younger colts impertinently claimed to be familiar with the horses we rode; and were apt to receive, in return, a severe blow for the intrusion. Altogether, it was a scene of boisterous horse-play, well befitting the arrogant nature of such a licentious, high-blooded, far-descended and riotous young nobility.
It may be imagined that this was a sight of engrossing interest to Meriwether. Both he and Carey had dismounted, and were busy in their survey of the group,—all the while descanting upon the numberless perfections of form that occurred to their view; and occasionally interlarding their commendations with the technical lore of genealogy, which, so far as I was concerned might as profitably have been delivered in Greek.
The occasion of this rapid concentration of our cavalry was soon
explained. Meriwether was in the habit of administering a weekly
ration of salt to these wandering hordes at this spot
and they, therefore, were wont to betake themselves to the rendezvous, with all the eagerness we had witnessed, whenever any sign was offered them that the customary distribution was to be made. Care was now taken that they should not be disappointed in their reasonable expectations; and Carey was, accordingly, dispatched to the stable for the necessary supplies.
Having gratified our curiosity in this region, we now visited the farm-yard. Within this inclosure, a party of negroes were employed in treading out grain. About a dozen horses were kept at full trot around a circle of some ten or fifteen paces diameter, which was strewed with the wheat in sheaf. These were managed by some five or six little blacks, who rode like monkey caricaturists of the games of the circus, and who mingled with the labors of the place that comic air of deviltry which communicated to the whole employment something of the complexion of a pastime. Whilst we remained here, as spectators of this stirring and busy occupation, a dialogue took place, which, as it made some important veterinary disclosures, I will record for the benefit of all those who take an interest in adding to the treasures of pharmacy.
One of the horses had received an injury in a fore-leg, a day or two before; and was now confined in the stable under the regimen of the overseer. The animal was brought out for inspection, and the bandages, which had been bound round the limb, were removed in our presence. To a question as to the cause of this injury, Carey replied—
"The mischeevous young devil wa'nt content with the paster, but she must be loping over the fence into the cornfield! It was a marcy she wa'nt foundered outright, on the green corn; but she sprained her pasten-joint, any how;—which she deserved for being so obstropolous."
A consultation was now held upon the case, at which divers
of the elder negroes assisted. But, in general, every attempt by any of these to give an opinion was frowned down by the authoritative and self-sufficient Carey, who was somewhat tyrannical in the assertion of his prerogative.
Frank Meriwether ventured to suggest that the injured part should be bathed frequently with ice-water; to which prescription our ancient groom pointedly objected,—saying all the cretur wanted, was to have her leg dressed, every night and morning, with a wash that he could make, of vinegar and dockweed, and half a dozen other ingredients, which, he affirmed, would produce a cure, "in almost no time."
A conspicuous and, till now, somewhat restive member of the council, was a broad-shouldered, dwarfish old negro, known by the name of uncle Jeff, who had manifested several decided symptoms of a design to make a speech; and now, in despite of Carey's cross looks, gave his advice in the following terms—
"One of the stonishingst things for a sprain that I knows on, is this—" said he, stepping into the ring and laying the fingers of his right hand upon the palm of his left—"Bless your soul, Mas Frank! I have tried it, often and often, on people, but, in pertickler, upon horses: oil of spike—" he continued, striking his palm, at the enumeration of each ingredient; "oil of spike, campfire, a little castile soap, and the best of whiskey, all put into a bottle and boiled half away—It's mazing how it will cure a sprain! My old 'oman was sick abed all last winter, with a sprain on her knee; and she tried Doctor Stubbs, and the leech doctor, and all the tother larned folks—but no use, tell she tuck some my intment! She said herself—if you believe me—thar was none on 'em no touch to my intment. It's mazing, Mas Frank! Oh, oh!—"
"Sho!" ejaculated Carey, in a short, surely growl, after hearing
this wise morsel of experience to the end, and looking as an-
gry as a vexed bull-dog; "Sho! Jeff, you tell me! Think I never seed a hos with a sprained foot, all the way up to my time of life? Stan off, man! I knows what I am about!"
Meriwether turned to me, with a look of jocular resignation, and said, laughing—
"You see how it is! This old magnifico will allow no man to have an opinion but himself. Rather than disturb the peace, I must submit to his authority. Well, Jeffry, my old fellow, as we can't convince Mr. Carey, I suppose we had better not make him angry. You know what an obstinate, cross-grained, old bully, he is? I am afraid he will take us both in hand, if we contradict him: so I'm for letting him alone."
"Consarn his picture!" said Jeff, in a low tone of voice, accompanied by a laugh, in which all the other negroes joined, as we broke up the consultation and walked away.
