THE MODERN ARAB. af 
but wher weil fed their action occasionally is more brilliant than that of 
the Arabian ; their impetuosity, however, renders them peculiarly desirable 
for heavy cavalry, and it is upon this quality alone that their celebrity 
has ever been founded.” 
There are said to be some fine breeds in the interior of the country ; 
but, as a rule, the Egyptian horse stands very low in the estimation of 
travellers. Of late years more attention has been paid to his breeding by 
the Viceroy and his subordinates, and it is said that some considerable 
improvement has taken place. 
THE HORSES OF DONGOLA AND ABYSSINIA. 
Tue Doncoua BREED has been celebrated by that trustworthy authority, 
Mr. Bruce, as of the highest symmetry, size, and strength. He alse 
praises highly their temper and docility, but seems to know nothing of 
their actual performances. Other writers, however, find fault with their 
want of substance, and pronounce them to be deficient in stoutness. 
Tur AsyssINIAN Horse is generally described as of good size and 
power, but I know of no reliable authority on which to depend in refer- 
ence to particular points. 
OTHER AFRICAN HORSES. 
BESIDES THE ABOVE DISTINCT BREEDS of African horses there are several 
others which are not clearly made out, but to which individual travellers 
have alluded as, in their opinion, decided varieties of the animal. Thus 
Mr. Tully speaks of the Bornou horse as superior both to the Barb and 
Arab, but his statement is not verified by travellers of later date. The 
South African horse, used by the Kafirs in the recent wars with the 
Boors of the Cape of Good Hope, is a most wiry and useful animal ; buf 
there is no doubt that he has been greatly altered from the original forn 
of the native horse by crosses with the English and Arabian breeds, which 
have been obtained by theft. In the early days of this settlement the native 
horse was very small, seldom reaching to fourteen hands, and though 
hardy and capable of standing a goou deal of work, yet plain and 
unsightly in appearance. The colonists have so improved this original 
stock that they can now furnish several thousand horses annually for 
exportation, averaging fifteen hands in height, and of very superior form 
and action. They show a great deal of Arabian blood, but many of them 
bear a strong resemblance to the thoroughbred English horse, several of 
which breed have been at various times introduced into the colony. 
THE MODERN ARAB. 
THE CONTROVERSY relating to the value of this breed in the stud has 
raged with such vehemence that it is difficult to obtain an unprejudiced 
opinion upon it. One thing, however, is quite clear, namely, that to it in 
great measure we owe the pre-eminence of our English thoroughbred. 
But how long it would take to bring a modern Arab, even of the highest 
caste, to the state of perfection in which we find our own West Australians 
and Stockwells it would be difficult to say. This subject, however, will 
be better discussed in treating of the English breed itsclf. 
Aut Bry, who has investigated the subject with great acuteness, and 
who has had opportunities beyond the reach of ordinary writers, describes 
six distinct breeds of Arabs. “The first,” he says, “named the ‘ Dgelfe,’ 
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