58 HISTORY OF THE 



The whole stock of one of these consisted of 

 a mare ; this the French consul at Said offered 

 to purchase, with an intention of sending her 

 to Louis XIV. The Arab hesitated long, but 

 being pressed by poverty, he at length con- 

 sented, on condition of receiving a very con- 

 siderable sum, which he named. The consul 

 wrote to France for permission to close the bar- 

 gain, and having obtained it, he immediately 

 sent for the Arab, to secure the mare, and pay 

 for her. The man arrived with his magnificent 

 courser. He dismounted, a wretched spectacle, 

 with only a miserable rag to cover his body. 

 He stood leaning upon his mare ; the purse was 

 tendered to him ; he looked at the gold, and 

 gazing steadfastly at his mare, heaved a deep 

 sigh ; the tears trickled down his cheeks. ' To 

 whom is it,' he exclaimed, * 1 am going to yield 

 thee up ? To Franks, who will tie thee close, 

 who will beat thee, who will render thee mise- 

 rable ! Return with me, my beauty ! my jewel I 

 and rejoice the hearts of my children !' As he 

 pronounced the last words, he sprung upon her 

 back, and was out of sight in a moment." 



Thus did this despised Arab show a sensi- 

 bility we might in vain look for among the 

 civilised Europeans, preferring his hard lot rather 

 than to attain riches by surrendering the animal 



