56 THE HORSE OF AMERICA. 



ing the dams of the best horses, as the story goes, the Prophet 

 shut up a herd of mares, in plain sight of water, and kept them 

 there till they were almost famished with thirst; and then at a 

 signal they were all released at once, and when rushing headlong 

 to the water the trumpet sounds, and notwithstanding their 

 sufferings they turn and align themselves up in military order. 

 In this test of obedience and discipline, it is said, only five of the 

 mares obeyed the signal (some say only three) and thus the mares 

 that obeyed, notwithstanding their sufferings, became justly en- 

 titled to the distinctive and honored name of "The Prophet's- 

 Mares." Another story is told of the particular markings which, 

 in the Prophet's estimation, indicated the best horses. By one 

 authority he always selected a black horse with a white "fore- 

 head," and some white mark or marks on his upper lip. An- 

 other authority says he always chose a bay horse with a bald face 

 and four white legs, and so we might go on till we had embraced 

 every color and every combination of marks, and we would then 

 find that each "authority" had a horse to sell corresponding with 

 the Prophet's preferences. Now the fact is that Mohammed was 

 neither a horseman nor a horse breeder, and the whole tenor of 

 history goes to show that he neither knew nor cared very much 

 about horses. In his first pilgrimage to Mecca, after the battles 

 referred to above, the privilege for which was secured by negotia- 

 tion, a hundred horsemen, it is said, were started and kept one 

 day's journey in advance of the main body of pilgrims. The 

 great numbers following Mohammed on this pilgrimage admon- 

 ished his old enemies of Mecca of the futility of attempting to 

 resist his power longer, and they fled from the city during the 

 continuance of the ceremonies. A year or two later he sum- 

 moned all the tribes of Northern and Eastern Arabia to follow him 

 again to Mecca, and they had too lively a sense of their own safety 

 to disobey. Due time was given for preparation, the rendezvous 

 was at Medina, and a vast host from all Northern and Western 

 Arabia congregated there for a purpose that might be to fight, 

 or it might be to pray. Mohammed mounted his camel and the 

 word was passed, "On to Mecca." As against such a multitude 

 the Meccans saw that resistance was hopeless, and the city was 

 surredenred without either side striking a blow. Arrayed in great 

 splendor and mounted on his camel, the Prophet made the req- 

 uisite number of circuits round the holy place and then entered 

 and ordered all the idols that had been set up there to be de- 



