e creatures could not be _yinhniamshy_ (or _aborigines_ of the land),
because of the violent hatred the _Houyhnhnms_, as well as all other
animals, bore them, which, although their evil disposition sufficiently
deserved, could never have arrived at so high a degree if they had been
_aborigines_, or else they would have long since been rooted out; that
the inhabitants, taking a fancy to use the service of the _Yahoos_, had,
very imprudently, neglected to cultivate the breed of asses, which are a
comely animal, easily kept, more tame and orderly, without any offensive
smell, strong enough for labour, although they yield to the other in
agility of body, and if their braying be no agreeable sound, it is far
preferable to the horrible howlings of the _Yahoos_."

Several others declared their sentiments to the same purpose, when my
master proposed an expedient to the assembly, whereof he had indeed
borrowed the hint from me. "He approved of the tradition mentioned by
the honourable member who spoke before, and affirmed, that the two
_Yahoos_ said to be seen first among them, had been driven thither over
the sea; that coming to land, and being forsaken by their companions,
they retired to the mountains, and degenerating by degrees, became in
process of time much more savage than those of their own species in the
country whence these two originals came. The reason of this assertion
was, that he had now in his possession a certain wonderful _Yahoo_
(meaning myself) which most of them had heard of, and many of them had
seen. He then related to them how he first found me; that my body was
all covered with an artificial composure of the skins and hairs of other
animals; that I spoke in a language of my own, and had thoroughly learned
theirs; that I had related to him the accidents which brought me thither;
that when he saw me without my covering, I was an exact _Yahoo_ in every
part, only of a whiter colour, less hairy, and with shorter claws. He
added, how I had endeavoured to persuade him, that in my own and other
countries, the _Yahoos_ acted as the governing, rational animal, and held
the _Houyhnhnms_ in servitude; that he observed in me all the qualities
of a _Yahoo_, only a little more civilized by some tincture of reason,
which, however, was in a degree as far inferior to the _Houyhnhnm_ race,
as the _Yahoos_ of their country were to me; that, among other things, I
mentioned a custom we had of castrating _Houyhnhnms_ when