THE HORSE. 15 



tors, than they are of that which marks the dignity of 

 their horse. Those which are found in the deserts, are 

 not quite so large as those which are bred up tame ; 

 they are of a brown colour ; their mane and tail very 

 short, and the hair black and tufted ; but their swift- 

 ness is incredible ; and such is the rapidity of their 

 motion, that in a few moments they can outstrip the 

 fleetest dog. The only method, therefore, of taking 

 them, is by traps hidden in the sand, which, by en- 

 tangling their feet, detains them till the hunter arrives, 

 who either kills them or drives them home alive. If 

 the horse be young, he is considered amongst the Ara- 

 bians as a very great delicacy ; but if, from his shape 

 and vigour, he promises to be serviceable in his more 

 noble capacity, they tame him by fatigue and hunger, 

 and he soon becomes an useful and domestic friend. 

 But the horses caught in this manner at present are 

 very few, as the value of Arabian coursers, over all the 

 world, has in a great measure thinned the deserts of 

 the zvitd breed. We are told by historians, that the Ara- 

 bians were the first people who attempted to make this 

 noble animal subservient to the convenience and power 

 of man ; and that, as far back as the time of Sheque 

 Ismael, they carried on a trade with different nations, 

 and furnished the stables of princes with the most beau- 

 tiful of their breed, some of which have been known to 

 be sold at the exorbitant sum of fifteen hundred pounds. 

 The Arabian breed has been diffused into Egypt, 

 Barbary, and Persia; and, in the latter place, we are 

 told by Marcus Paulus, that there were studs of white 

 mares of the most beautiful form, to the amount of 

 ten thousand. The horses of these countries greatly 

 resemble each other : they are usually of a slendeir 

 make; their legs fine, bony, and far apart ; a thin 

 mane ; a fine crest ; a beautiful head ; the ear small, 



