THE MODEE^ ARAB. 33 



of Good Hope, is a most wiry and ixseful animal ; but there is no 

 doubt that he has been greatly altered from the original form of 

 the native horse by crosses with the English and Arabian breeds, 

 which have been obtained by theft. In the early days of this set- 

 tlement the native horse was very small, seldom reaching to four- 

 teen hands, and though hardy and capable of standing a good deal 

 of work, yet plain and unsightly in appearance. The colonista 

 have so improved this original stock that they can now furnish 

 several thousand horses annually for exportation, averaging fifteen 

 hands in height, and of very superior form and action. They 

 show a great deal of Arabian blood, but many of them bear a 

 strong resemblance to the thorough-bred English horse, several of 

 which breed have been at various times introduced into the colony. 



THE MODERN ARAB. 



The controversy relating to the value of this breed in the 

 stud has raged with such vehemence that it is difficult to obtain 

 an unprejudiced opinion upon it. One thing, however, is quite 

 clear, namely, that to it in a great measure we owe the pre-eminence 

 of our English thorough-bred. But how long it would take to 

 bring a modern Arab, even of the highest caste, to the state of 

 perfection in which we find our own West Australians and Stock- 

 wells it would be difficult to say. This subject, however, will be 

 better discussed in treating of the English breed itself 



Ali Bey, who has investigated the subject with great acuteness, 

 and who has had opportunities beyond the reach of ordinary wri- 

 ters, describes six distinct breeds of Arabs. " The first," he says, 

 " named the ' Dgelfe,' is found in Arabia Felix. They are rare at 

 Damascus, but pretty common in the neighborhood of Anaze. 

 They are remarkable for speed and fire, yet mild as lambs; they 

 support hunger and thirst for a long time, are of lofty stature, 

 narrow in the chest, but deep in the girth, and with long ears. A 

 colt of this breed at two years old will cost in his own country two 

 thousand Turkish piastres. 



" The second breed, called ' Seclaoni,' comes from the eastern 

 part of the Desert, resembles the ' Dgelfe' of Anaze in appear- 

 ance, but is not quite so highly valued. 



'' Next comes the ' Mefki,' handsome, though not so swift as the 

 two former breeds, and more resembling the Andalusian in figure. 

 They are very common about Damascus. 



" Then the Sabi resembles the Mefki ; and the fifth breed, called 

 Fridi, is very common '^ut it is necessary to try them well, for 

 they are often vicious, and do not possess the excellent qualities of 

 the other breeds. 



" Sixth, comes the Nejdi, from the neighboi-hood of Bussorah, 

 and if they do not surpass, they at least equal, the ' Dgelfe of 



