He had suspended at the pommel of the saddle a thermometer, a rum
calabash, and a coffee-boiler, while behind the saddle hung a store of
pots and cups, frying-pan, a barometer, a sextant, and a long spy-glass.
The nag was grazing, when one of the instruments fell down, at which the
beast commenced kicking, to show his displeasure. The more he kicked,
the greater was the rattling of the cups and pans; the brute was now
quite terrified; we first secured our own steeds, and then watched the
singular and ridiculous movements of this estampedero.
He would make ten leaps, and then stop to give as many kicks, then shake
himself violently and start off full gallop. At every moment, some
article, mathematical or culinary, would get loose, fall down, and be
trampled upon. The sextant was kicked to pieces, the frying-pan and
spy-glass were put out of shape, the thermometer lost its mercury, and
at last, by dint of shaking, rolling, and kicking, the brute got rid of
his entire load and saddle, and then came quietly to us, apparently very
well satisfied with himself and with the damage he had done. It was a
most ludicrous scene, and defies all power of description; so much did
it amuse us, that we could not stop laughing for three or four hours.
The next day, we found many mineral springs, the waters of which were
strongly impregnated with sulphur and iron.
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