52 HISTORY OF THE 



the halter, gives him up to the purchaser with a 

 slice of bread and some salt, and turns away, 

 never more to look at him as his own — an an- 

 cient custom of taking leave of a horse, and 

 his recognizing a new master — it is then that 

 this generous and noble animal becomes tracta- 

 ble, mild, and faithful ta another, and proves 

 himself immediately attached to him whom his 

 passion, a few minutes before, might have laid 

 at his feet, and trampled under his hoofs. 



*' This is not an idle storv ; I have been 

 a witness of, and an actor in the interesting 

 scene, having bought three kohlans in 1810 and 

 1811, from Turkish prisoners. I made the 

 bargain in the stables, and received personally, 

 and led off the most fierce but intelligent ani- 

 mals, which before the above mentioned cere- 

 mony, I should not have dared to approach. 

 The fact has been confirmed to me by all the 

 Turkish and Arab prisoners, and by several rich 

 American merchants who deal in horses, and go 

 generally to the desert to buy them. The koh- 

 lans also evince great warlike qualities." 



Bishop Heber thus describes the docility of 

 the Arabian horse. He says : *' My morning 

 rides are very pleasant. My horse is a nice, 

 quiet, good-tempered little Arab, who is so 

 fearless, that he goes, without starting, close to 



