of wailing after their mothers, and then turned
their lamentations into indignation and revenge upon each other. Such a
ridiculous scene of kicking took place as I never before witnessed,
about thirty of them being most sedulously engaged in the occupation,
all at the same time. I never saw such ill-behaved mules; it was quite
impossible for the judges to decide upon the prize, for you could see
nothing but heels in the air; it was rap, rap, rap, incessantly against
one another's sides, until they were all turned out, and the show was
over. I rather think the prize must, in this instance, have been
awarded to the one that kicked highest.

The fourth day was for the exhibition of jackasses, of two-year and
one-year, and for foals, and jennies also; this sight was to me one of
peculiar interest. Accustomed as we are in England to value a jackass
at thirty shillings, we look down upon them with contempt; but here the
case is reversed: you look up at them with surprise and admiration.
Several were shown standing fifteen hands high, with head and ears in
proportion; the breed has been obtained from the Maltese jackass,
crossed by those of Spain and the south of France. Those imported
seldom average more than fourteen hands high; but the Kentuckians, by
great attention and care, have raised them up to fifteen hands, and
sometimes even to sixteen.

But the price paid for these splendid animals, for such they really
were, will prove how much they are in request. Warrior, a jackass of
great celebrity, sold for 5,000 dollars, upwards of 1,000 pounds
sterling. Half of another jackass, Benjamin by name, was sold for 2,500
dollars. At the show I asked a gentleman what he wanted for a very
beautiful female ass, only one year old; he said that he could have
1,000 dollars, 250 pounds for her, but that he had refused that sum.
For a two-year old jack, shown during the exhibition, they asked 3000
dollars, more than 600 pounds. I never felt such respect for donkeys
before; but the fact is, that mule-breeding is so lucrative, that there
is no price which a very large donkey will not command.

I afterwards went to a cattle sale a few miles out of the town. Don
Juan, a two-year old bull, Durham breed, fetched 1,075 dollars; an
imported Durham cow, with her calf, 985 dollars. Before I arrived, a
bull and cow fetched 1,300 dollars each of them, about 280 pounds. The
cause of this is, that the demand for good stock, now that the W