13 



CHAPTER II. 



FEATS OP ENDURANCE. 



The renowned Algerian chieftain Abd-el-Kader de- 

 clared tliat if the true Arab horse ever treads upon 

 ploughed land, he diminishes in value, and he illus- 

 trated the idea by the following story : 



' A man was riding upon a horse of pure blood, 

 when he was met by his enemy, also splendidly 

 mounted. One pursued the other, and he who gave 

 chase was distanced by him who fled. Despairing of 

 reaching him, the pursuer in anger shouted out, 



' " I ask, in the name of God, has your horse ever 

 worked on land ? " 



' " He has worked on land for four days." 



' " Yery well — mine never has ; and, by the beard 

 of the Prophet, I am sure to catch you." 



'Towards the close of the day the horse that 

 never laboured was the victor ; and as the rider of 

 the degraded horse sank under the blows of his 

 enemy, he said, 



' " There has been no blessing upon our country 

 since we changed our coursers into beasts of burden 



