THE BARB OF MOROCCO. 225 



Lay stock race, ^vith its accompanying greys, once 

 the only colours of horses, is now found to contain a 

 proportion of black, Mith full manes and tails ; at- 

 testing a northern infusion of more recent date than 

 the Roman empire, and, it may be surmised, intro- 

 duced by the Vandal conquerors of Africa. There 

 are golden or light chestnuts, which likewise consti- 

 tute a proportion of the ancient northern breeds, 

 and were much used by the Alans. 



Barbary horses, particularly from Morocco, Fez, 

 and the interior of Tripoli, are reported to be re- 

 markably fine and graceful in their action, but 

 somewhat lower than Arab, seldom being more 

 than fourteen hands and one inch high, with flat 

 shoulders, round chest, joints inclined to be long, 

 and the head particularly beautiful. They are 

 claimed by some as superior to the Arab in form, 

 but inferior in spirit, speed, and countenance. A 

 French traveller describes them to be in wretched 

 condition, neglected, and not to be compared with 

 them. Recent authors state the Godolphin Arabian 

 to have been a Barb ; but in a manuscript note, we 

 find this celebrated horse claimed as one of the 

 Guelfe blood of Yemen, which his form of head, 

 neck, and mane seemed to confirm : thus, although 

 in England several thorough-bred mares and stal- 

 lions have been imported from the Barbary coast, 

 there was no account containing much personal ob- 

 servation respecting them in their own country, 

 until Mr. Washington, a lieutenant in the royal 

 navT, communicated a paper to the Geographical 



p 



