Ostrich Riding

A gentleman tells how, during the time of his residence at Podor, a French

factory on the banks of the river Niger, there were two ostriches, though

young, of gigantic size, which afforded him a very remarkable sight. "They

were," he says, "so tame, that two little blacks mounted both together on

the back of the largest. No sooner did he feel their weight, than he began

to run as fast as possible, and carried them several times rou d the

village, as it was impossible to stop him otherwise than by obstructing

the passage. This sight pleased me so much, that I wished it to be

repeated, and to try their strength, directed a full-grown negro to mount

the smallest, and two others the largest. This burthen did not seem at all

disproportionate to their strength. At first they went at a tolerably

sharp trot, but when they became heated a little, they expanded their

wings as though to catch the wind, and moved with such fleetness, that

they scarcely seemed to touch the ground. Most people have, at one time or

another, seen a partridge run; and consequently know that there is no man

whatever able to keep up with it; and it is easy to imagine, that if this

bird had a longer step, its speed would be considerably augmented. The

ostrich moves like the partridge, with this advantage; and I am satisfied

that those I am speaking of would have distanced the fleetest racehorses

that were ever bred in England. It is true they would not hold out so long

as a horse; but they would undoubtedly go over a given space in less time.

I have frequently beheld this sight, which is capable of giving one an

idea of the prodigious strength of an ostrich, and of showing what use it

might be of, had we but the method of breaking and managing it as we do a

horse."