218 THE ARABIAN RACE. 



Towards the end of the last century, full-grown 

 unblemished stallions of the several breeds stood 

 somewhat in the following ratio of value: The 

 Oel-Nagdi, reared in the vicinity of Bussora, beau- 

 tiful, docile, and swift, either dark bay or dapple 

 grey, and remarkable for attachment to their owners, 

 stood foremost in estimation, and were valued at 

 eight thousand piastres : a mare sold at Acre for 

 the enormous sum of fifteen thousand piastres. 



The Guelfe, originally from Yemen, patient, in- 

 defatigable, and gentle, were held to be most valu- 

 able, selling at four thousand piastres. 



The Saklawye, bred in the Eastern desert, with 

 more speed and hardier constitutions, were of the 

 same price. * 



The Oel-Mefki of the Damascus district, stately 

 and superb in aspect, but less durable, were esti- 

 mated at three thousand piastres, and chiefly used 

 by the Turkish grandees. 



The Oel-Sabi resemble the last mentioned, but 

 are not so highly valued, their price ranging be- 

 tween twelve hundred and two thousand piastres. 



The Od-Tredi are very handsome, but with less 

 courage, more inclined to restiveness, and hence 

 might be obtained for nine hundred or a thousand 

 piastres. 



The Monakl and Shaduhi of Yemen, belonging 

 to the Mohammedad tribe, are still in very high 



* I believe the renowned Darley Arab was a Saklawye : he 

 was purchased at Aleppo by Mr. Barley's brother, from an 

 Arab tribe near Palmyra. 



