Til] AND HISTORIC TIMES 169 



The five strains of the Kohl breed generally recognised 

 by the Bedouins are: (1) the Keheilan itself, (2) Seglawi, 

 (3) Abeyan, (4) Hamdani, (5) Hadban. 



(1) The Keheilan strain (says Mr Blunt) " is the most 

 numerous, and taken generally the most esteemed. It contains 

 a greater proportion, I think, of bays than any other strain. 

 They are the fastest, though not perhaps the hardiest horses, 

 and bear a closer resemblance than the rest to English 

 thoroughbreds, to whom indeed they are more nearly related," 

 the Darley Arabian, " perhaps the only thoroughbred Auazah 

 horse in our stud book, being a Kehilan." The Keheilan is not 

 by any means the most beautiful of the strains. Its sub- 

 divisions are very numerous, the favourites being the Keheilan 

 Ajuz, the Keheilan Nowag, the Keheilan Abu Argub, Abu 

 Jenub, and the Ras-el-Fedawi. 



(2) The Seglawi generally is held in high repute, and 

 has several sub-strains, all of which are highly valued, though 

 the Seglawi Jedran is most esteemed in the desert. " They 

 are, however, comparatively rare, and exist only in a few 

 families of the Anazah, the Shammar no longer possessing any 

 of the breed. The Seglawi Jedran of Ibn Nederi is powerful 

 and fast, but not particularly handsome." 



(3) The Abeyan "is generally the handsomest breed, but 

 is small and has less resemblance to the English thoroughbred 

 than either of the preceding." The best sub-strain is the 

 Abeyan Sherrak, and a mare of this breed was the most perfect 

 that Mr Blunt saw in Arabia, but her sire was a Keheilan 

 Ajuz. 



(4) The Hamdani " is not a common breed either among 

 Anazah or Shammar," and only one sub-strain, the Hamdani 

 Simri, is recognised as hadud (worthy) by the Bedouin. Most 

 of the Hamdani seen by Mr Blunt were grey. A very hand- 

 some brown Hamdani horse shown him by the Gomoussa proved 

 to be a Hamdani Simri. The very beautiful white mare, 

 Sherifa, owned by Blunt, was a Hamdani Simri. " She was 

 bred in Nejd, and had belonged to Ibn Saoud. Her head is 

 the most perfect I have seen. She stands 14"2, and is pure 

 white in colour, with the Kohl patches round the eyes and 



