d. The bay, the ocean, and the
chain of half salt lakes surrounding the three sides, left but a short
northern length for stone wall, as Hull suggested.

It is said that the progenitor or most important sire of this race was
imported from Andalusia by Governor Robinson. Another tradition is that
this horse, while swimming off the coast of Spain, was picked up by a
Narragansett sloop and brought to America. Thomas Hazard contributed to
the quality of endurance in the breed by introducing into it the blood
of "Old Snip." So celebrated did the qualities of this horse become that
the "Snip breed" was not only spoken of with regard to the horses, but
of the owners as well, and Hazards who did not possess the
distinguishing race-characteristic of self-will were said not to be
"true Snips." Old Snip was said to have been imported from Tripoli;
others assert (and it is generally believed) that he was a wild horse
running at large in the tract near Point Judith.

In the year 1711 Rip Van Dam, a prominent citizen of New York, and at a
later date Governor of the State, wrote to Jonathan Dickinson, an early
mayor of Philadelphia, a very amusing account of his ownership of a
Narragansett Pacer. The horse was shipped from Rhode Island in a sloop,
from which he managed to jump overboard, swim ashore, and return home.
He was, however, again placed on board ship, and arrived in New York
after a fourteen-days' passage, naturally much reduced in flesh and
spirits. From New York he was sent to Philadelphia by post--that is,
ridden by the post-rider. The horse cost L32, and his freight cost fifty
shillings. He was said to be "no beauty though so high priced, save in
his legs." "He always plays and acts and never will stand still, he will
take a glass of wine, beer or cyder, and probably would drink a dram on
a cold morning." The last extraordinary accomplishment doubtless showed
contamination from the bad human company around him, while the swimming
feat evinced his direct descent from the Andalusian swimmer.

Dr. McSparran, rector of the Narragansett church from 1721 to 1759,
wrote a little book called "America Dissected," in which he speaks thus
of the Narragansett Pacers:

"The produce of this country is principally butter, cheese, fat
cattle, wool and fine horses that are exported to all parts of
English America. They are remarkable for fleetness and swift pacing
and I have seen some of them pace a mile in a littl