266 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



me to pat his neck, he put his ears back, drew up his 

 lips, and attempted to rush at me open-mouthed, if 

 I only made a motion as if to approach him. I 

 must confess that for a few minutes I was quite at 

 a nonplus, for there seemed no probability of either 

 getting a saddle on him, or a bridle in his mouth. At 

 last a happy thought struck me, and I went home to 

 make preparations. I was still weak, having hardly 

 got over the effects of my w^ounds, and often felt a 

 giddy sensation from my trepanned cranium ; still, 

 after my " tall talk," it would not do to let the 

 Frenchmen crow, and the next morning saw me 

 clad in leathers and boots, riding towards the Daud 

 Pacha barracks, not very comfortable or sanguine 

 of success, but determined to try it on, coiite qui 

 coute. A couple of Turkish soldiers, who acted as 

 my grooms, carried a bundle of strong ropes, a 

 koorgee, or Indian-felt saddle, and a bridle fitted 

 with an Arab bit, having a ring fastened to the 

 bend of the curb, which goes over the lower jaw 

 and gives considerable additional purchase. Just 

 before I sat down to breakfast, I sent my " chaousK'* 



* Chaoxish, a Turkish Sei'jeant. 



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