How Some Arabs Have Been Obtained 65 



finer, but is perfectly set on, and the 

 mttbakh, or join of the head and neck, 

 would give distinction to any profile. 

 Her neck is light and well arched, the 

 wither high, the shoulder well sloped, and 

 the quarter so fine and powerful that it 

 is impossible she should be otherwise than 

 a very fast mare. Her length of limb 

 above the hock is remarkable, as is 

 that of the pastern. She carries her 

 tail high, as all well bred Arabians do, 

 and there is a neatness and finish about 

 every movement which reminds one of 

 a fawn or a gazelle. We all agreed that 

 she is incomparably superior to any- 

 thing we have seen here or elsewhere 

 (Mr. Skene was of the party at the time) 

 and would be worth a king's ransom, if 

 kings were still worth ransoming." 



They did not get the mare at that time, 

 but Mr. Skene secured her for them later 

 at a cost of ;£24o ($1,200); and when 

 they returned to Damascus the next 

 winter to make a start for their " Pil- 

 grimage to Nejd," they heard ''all that 

 had happened in the desert during the 

 summer. First of all, the sensation that 



