222 THE ARABIAN RACE. 



ment, they certainly possess beyond all other horses : 

 and in temper and docility, none can be compared 

 to them. 



For sobriety, these horses are equally notorious ; 

 the Arab of the desert allowing his mare only two 

 meals in twenty -four hours : she is kept fastened 

 near the entrance of the tent, ready saddled for 

 mounting in a moment, or turned out to ramble 

 around it, confident in her training, that on the 

 first call she will gallop up to be bridled. She re- 

 ceives only a scanty supply of water at night, and 

 five or six pounds of barley or beans with a little 

 chopped straw, and then she lies down contented 

 in the midst of her master's family; often with 

 children sleeping on her neck, or lying between 

 her feet; no danger to any being apprehended or 

 experienced : in the morning, if not immediately 

 wanted, another feed, and on some occasions a few 

 dates and camels' milk are given, particularly where 

 water is very scarce and there is no green herbage 

 whatever, or during an expedition which admits of 

 little or no respite. Camels' milk is almost the only 

 nutriment of foals, who for that purpose are seen 

 trotting free by the side of the camels, and every 

 now and then thrusting their noses to get hold of 

 the nurse's udder ; being treated by them with the 

 same fondness as if they were their own young. 

 Hence there is friendship instead of enmity be- 

 tween the two species of animals, and the facts al- 

 luded to by Herodotus and Xenophon, Aristotle 

 and Pliny, respecting the repugnance of one for the 



