MY QUEST OF THE ARAB HORSE 



than we had offered, and though it seemed use- 

 less, we sent a messenger, and a soldier, with 

 the money to bring her to Aleppo. 



On our return to Aleppo we were the sub- 

 jects of great curiosity. All of the distin- 

 guished Arabs and Turks came to see our 

 horses, and they were much admired. 



The Governor's son, Hickmet Bey, had been 

 presented by the Gomussa tribe with another 

 Maneghi Sbeyel, to take the place of the one 

 which they had given to me. We went to see 

 him. He was two years old, unshod, and stood 

 a fraction over fifteen hands high. He was 

 the most powerfully made horse, I think, it 

 has ever been my pleasure to see. His re- 

 markable hips and shoulders were a sight. 

 There was not a flaw in him. The Bedouins, 

 when they came near him, all bowed. They 

 thought he was a special creation of God, be- 

 cause he had three black feet, the only white 

 being on the left fore foot, which is a special 

 mark of Allah. He had a small star on the 

 forehead, the strip growing wider as it came 

 to the nose, so that it took in one nostril 

 which was completely white. The white ran 

 to the under-lip, and this was tattooed in blue 

 in imitation of the women of the desert. One 



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