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DOMESTIC A^^niALS. 



FlCJ. 1. FIRST POSITION. 



the constant servant of man for nearly four thousand years, ever re- 

 warding him with his labor, and adding to his comfort in proportion to 

 his skill and manner of using him ; but being to those who govern him 

 by brute force, and know nothing of the beauty and delight to be gained 

 from the cultivation of his finer nature, a fretful, vicious, and often dan- 

 gerous servant; while to the Arab, whose horse is the pride of his life, 

 and who governs him by the law of kindness, we find him to be quite a 

 diff'erent animal. The manner in which he is treated from a foal gives 

 him an afi"ection and attachment for his master not known in any other 

 country. The Arab and his children, the mare and her foal, inhabit the 

 tent together; and, although the colt and the mare's neck are often 

 pillows for the children to roll upon, no accident ever occurs, the mare 

 being as careful of the children as of the colt. Such is the mutual at- 

 tachment between the horse and his master, that he will leave his com- 

 panions at his master's call, ever glad to obey his voice. And when the 

 Arab falls from his horse, and is unable to rise again, he will stand by 

 him and neigh for assistance ; and if he lies down to sleep, as fatigue 

 sometimes compels him to do in the midst of the desert, his faithful 

 steed will watch over him, and neigh to arouse him if man or beast 

 approaches. The Arabs frequently teach their horses secret signs or 

 signals, which they make use of on urgent occasions to call forth their 

 utmost exertions." 



Mr. Rarey places much stress upon the kindly tones of the human 

 voice, manner of speaking, the words used, and finishes his philosophiz- 

 ing upon the subject by detailing a short sketch of an "Arab and his 

 steed," in which he endeavors to show the entire comprehension pos- 

 sessed by the horse of the language addressed to him. We quote it 

 entire : " A Bedouin named Jabal possessed a mare of great celebrity. 

 Hassan Pasha, then governor of Damascus, wished to buy the animal, 

 and repeatedly made the owner the most liberal off'ers, which Jabal 

 steadily refused. The Pasha then had recourse to threats, but with no 

 better success. At length, one Gcifar, a Bedouin of another tribe, pre- 

 sented himself to the Pasha, and asked him what he would give the man 

 who should make him master of Jabal's mare, ' I will fill his horse's 



