MY QUEST OF THE ARAB HORSE 



Haffez, it seemed, had tried to drive a bar- 

 gain for both the mare and colt, and had failed. 

 The colt was taken to his brother and tied to 

 the hind leg. He stood like a little man and 

 his brother was glad to see him. The mare's 

 only other colt had been bought the year before 

 by the German government for two hundred 

 and fifty pounds. Thus she was a source of 

 revenue which they did not want to lose. 



Before her owner mounted the beautiful 

 mother to ride away, I approached her, and, 

 true to the Bedouin custom, she refused to let 

 me come near. She bit at me and pretended 

 to kick, and all this while ragged Bedouins were 

 patting her, and patting her; but me she 

 watched like a hawk. 



All our attempts to buy her proved unavail- 

 ing. He put us off by saying that he would 

 have to consult his family. He promised 

 faithfully to come to us again the next night, 

 but he did not and so the story of the event- 

 ual purchase of the mare is the more remark- 

 able and must be put down in its proper place. 



[174] 



