THE ARABIAN RACE.' 213 



and starts off at a gallop, pushed to the highest 

 speed, across plains and rocks, for fifty or sixty 

 miles without drawing bit ; then, before dismount- 

 ing, he plunges into deep water with his horse, 

 and, on returning to land, offers it food ; judgment 

 of its qualities depending upon the animal immedi- 

 ately beginning to eat. This treatment is more 

 particularly inflicted upon fillies, because the Be- 

 douin rides for his own use only mares, who are in 

 truth more patient and durable than stallions, and 

 never betray the marauder by neighing ; whereas, 

 if stallions are present, this certainly occurs, and 

 therefore these are kept for breeding, sold at high 

 prices, or used by grandees and chiefs who reside in 

 fixed habitations and towns. 



Habitually in company with mankind, all the 

 Arabian breeds become exceedingly gentle and in- 

 telligent ; a look or a gesture is sufficient to make 

 them stop, take up with their teeth the rider's 

 jereed or any other object he may have dropped, 

 stand by him if he has fallen off their backs, come 

 to his call, and fight resolutely in his defence ; even 

 if he be sleeping, they will rouse him in cases of 

 danger. Kindness and forbearance towards animals 

 is inculcated by the Koran and practised by all 

 Mussulmen, to the shame of Christians, who often 

 do not think this a part of human duty ; and as a 

 Moor well known in London sneeringly remarked 

 to ourselves, " It is not in your Book !" 



As the Arabian blood is now extended, we must 

 take in some measure the whole of South-western 



