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mares, but I am uninformed in what parts of the world those mares 

 were procured. 



The latest accounts we have from the deserts, confirm those of the 

 old travellers, respecting the mode of- life of the wandering Arabs, or 

 Bedouins, and their treatment of their cattle : in fact, the customs of 

 these peo|)le seem as stable and permanent, as the very earth on which 

 they dwell, and he who would wish to prepare himself for the ceremo- 

 nial of an entertainment in an Arab tent, could not do better, than 

 rehearse a lesson from some early chapter in the Old Testament. It is 

 said, that the Horse is so general a property in those countries, that even 

 the meanest among the Arabs, possess some of them. As in the 

 Irish cabin, so in the Bedotiin tent, the whole family, quadruped as 

 well as biped, eat, drink, sleep, and are sheltered together ; in the latter, 

 mares and foals, men, women and children, take their rest promiscuously, 

 and oftimes are to be seen the heads of a child and a foal, reclined on 

 the same pillow, the belly, breast or neck of a mare. Nor do the 

 parents apprehend any accident from such licence, for it is asserted, 

 that the mares and foals, Avill not only permit all kinds of play from 

 the children, but that the former have the sagacity and sensibility to 

 tread Avith caution least they should hurt them. Nor need this be 

 looked upon as Avithout the A-erge of probability, at least I do not so- 

 regard it, because I have myself had a mare, endoAA^ed with similar 

 faculties of good nature and intelligence, and have repeatedly Avitnessed 

 her care to avoid hurting inferior animals. She would race and gam- 

 bol, and play Avith me, or Avith her groom, in the field, like a favourite 

 spaniel ; and Avhen mounted on her, I Avas assured in case of accident, 

 I had nothing to fear, either from affright, or carelessness, far less vice 

 in her ; and I have no doubt, had I ever fallen from her, and my foot 

 hung in the stirrup, that she Avould have instantly stopped, until 1 had 

 extricated myself; in truth, I OAved much, perhaps my life, to her care. 

 Horses are confirmed in this Avay by kind and considerate treatment. 

 The Arabians treat their Horses habituallij, even Avith the utmost fond- 

 ness, having neither the desire nor the necessity of beating them, the 

 generous and docile animals, doing every thing Avhich is required of 

 them, in consequence of indication and persuasion: hence, probably, 



the 



