sis ifcfngs of tbe 1Rot>, IRffle, an& Gun 



and then, passing a long strip of canvas over his loins, 

 and pegging it down strongly, so as to prevent his 

 moving about, I quietly cut the hobbles fastening his 

 heels and fetlocks, and then made the Turks fill up the 

 whole stable with sand, covering him up to the depth of 

 nearly four feet. He was extremely restive when the 

 first few shovel-fulls were thrown in, but finding his head 

 securely fastened, and perhaps feeling frightened at being 

 blindfolded, he remained tolerably passive, although he 

 showed his temper by continually grinding his teeth. 

 When I saw that he was so completely buried that 

 there was no chance of his being able to extricate 

 himself, I took the strip of canvas from off his loins, and 

 uncovered his eyes, when he began to make violent 

 efforts in order to free himself, but it was all in vain ; 

 like Sampson in the hands of the Philistines, when his 

 head was shorn, his strength had departed from him, 

 and after a few desperate struggles he became exhausted, 

 and lay still, bathed in perspiration. 



During his attempts to free himself I remained by his 

 side caressing him whilst quiet, and rating him when he 

 showed temper ; and after some time had elapsed, he 

 allowed me to handle his head, as if he had become 

 more resigned to his fate. Round his neck I fastened a 

 collar formed of pieces of wood tied together, so as to 

 prevent him getting his head round, and laying hold of 

 my legs, a pastime I heard he sometimes indulged in. 

 Then I put on the saddle and fastened the girths and 

 circingle, by scraping away the sand from under his 

 belly, after which, with a good deal of coaxing and 

 caressing, I managed to slip on the bridle, as well as a 



