170 THE WILD HORSE. 



Ghoonts reared in the vicinity of Kalunga; and 

 further westward, where it is probably more mixed, 

 the mountain ponies of the Himalayas are more 

 grey and the spots often small; but in courage, 

 activity, and sure- footedn ess they are admirable. 

 The common neglected class of Afghaunistan and 

 the Indian peninsula, usually called Yaboos, attest 

 by their not uncommon piebald livery that they are 

 in a great proportion descended from the Parthian 

 breed; and in the original battle-pictures of the 

 wars of Aurungzebe, engraved about a century ago 

 from Indian originals, we can trace the piebald 

 horse among the chargers of the principal figures. 

 We have been informed that, in the late wars, 

 whole russoolahs, or corps of Pindarees, have been 

 seen mounted upon this race. 



There are still other wild horses of Asia, such as 

 the white woolly animal of the Kara Koom and 

 the high table land of Pamere, * whence the Kir- 

 guise and Kalmucks appear to have drawn one of 

 their principal races. It is about fourteen hands 

 high, with a large head, small eyes and ears, a thick 



* Pamere, with the Surikol lake in the centre, twelve days' 

 journey across, gives birth to the Jaxartes, the Oxus, and to a 

 branch of the Indus : from the table land all the mountains m 

 sight appear as under the feet ; there are no trees, but rich 

 pasturage, never long covered by snow, because of the violent 

 drift winds. The wild and domestic horses, and nearly all the 

 mammiferse, are clothed in long shaggy white furs. Kara Koom, 

 comparatively low, is still higher than Hindo Koosh and the 

 plateau of Ladakh, 17,000 feet above the sea, where Dr. Gerrard 

 met great droves of wild horses. 



