THE AKABIAN.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[the barb. 



affection which they may have for their horses 

 in such generous expressions of endearment as 

 mark those of the poor Arab; yet few can 

 read the touching narrative which Mungo Park 

 gives of his parting with his horse, the worn- 

 out associate of his adventures, in the wilds of 

 Africa, without entering hxrgely into his feel- 

 ings, and deeply sympathising with his forlorn 

 and destitute condition. "Early in the morn- 

 ing," says he, under the date of July 29th, 

 •• my host observing that I was sickly, hurried 

 me away, sending a servant with me as a 

 guide to Kea. But though I was little able 

 ■to walk, my horse was still less able to carry 

 me ; and about six miles to the east of Modiboo, 

 in crossing some rough clayey ground, he fell ; 

 and the united strength of the guide and 

 myself could not place him again upon his 

 legs. I sat down for some time beside this 

 worn-out associate of my adventures ; but 

 finding him still unable to rise, I took off the 

 saddle and bridle, and placed a quantity of 

 grass before him. I surveyed the poor animal 

 as he lay panting on the ground, with sympa- 

 thetic emotion ; for I could not suppress the 

 sad apprehension, that I should, myself, in a 

 short time, lie down and perish in the same 

 manner, of fatigue and hunger. With this 

 foreboding I left my poor horse, and with great 

 reluctance I followed my guide on foot along 

 the bank of the river until about noon, when 

 we reached Kea, which I found to be nothing 

 }nore than a small fishing village." The horse, 

 however, did not die, but was restored, and 

 Park had the great gratification of once more 

 hearing him neigh on his return to Modiboo, 



Major Denham, another celebrated African 

 traveller, also laments the death of his horse. 

 After telling us that the animal had car- 

 ried him from Tripoli to Mourzuk and back 

 again, and also over the whole journey from 

 Tripoli to Bournou, he thus philosophises : — 

 " There are situations in a man's life in which 

 losses of this nature are felt most keenly, and 

 this was one of them. It was not grief, but it 

 was something very nearly approaching to it ; 

 and although I felt ashamed of the degree of de- 

 rangement which I suffered from it, yet it was 

 several days before I could get over the loss. 

 Let it, however, be remembered, that the poor 

 animal had been my support and comfort — may 

 I not say my companion? — tli^ough many a 

 3.4 



dreary day and night ; had endured both 

 hunger and thirst in my service with tho 

 utmost patience ; so docile, that he would 

 stand still for hours in the desert while I slept 

 between his legs, his body affording me the 

 only shelter that could be obtained from the 

 powerful influence of a noon-day sun ; he was 

 the fleetest of the fleet, and ever foremost in 

 the race." 



In the Biographical Slct 'dies of Horses, by 

 Captain Brown, we find recorded the following 

 interesting description of a Barb and his rider 

 at the Cape of Good Hope : — " I should have 

 found it difficult to give credit," says Mr. 

 De Pages, " had what I am now about to 

 relate not happened at this place, on the even- 

 ing of my arrival there (Cape of Good Hope), 

 and had I not been an eye-witness of those 

 vehement emotions of sympathy, blended with 

 admiration, which it had justly excited in tho 

 mind of every individual at the Cape. A 

 violent gale of wind setting in from the north- 

 north-west, a vessel in the road dragged her 

 anchors, was forced on the rocks, and bulged ; 

 and while the greater part of the crew fell an 

 immediate sacrifice to the waves, the re- 

 mainder were seen from the shore, struggling 

 for their lives by clinging to the different 

 pieces of the wreck. The sea ran high, and 

 broke over the sailors with such amazing fury, 

 that no boat whatever could venture oflf to 

 their assistance. Meanwhile a planter, con- 

 siderably advanced in life, had come from his 

 farm to be a spectator of the shipwreck. His 

 heart was melted at the sight of the unhappy 

 seamen ; and knowing the bold and enter- 

 prising spirit of his horse, and his particular 

 excellence as a swimmer, he instantly deter- 

 mined to make a desperate effort for their de- 

 liverance. He alighted, and blew a little 

 brandy into his horse's nostrils ; when, again 

 seating himself firm in the saddle, he instantly 

 pushed into the midst of the breakers. At 

 first, both disappeared ; but it was not long 

 before they floated on the surface, and 

 swam up to the wreck ; when, taking 

 with him two men, each of whom held by 

 one of his boots, he brought them safe to 

 shore. This perilous expedition he repeated 

 no less than seven times, saving the lives of 

 fourteen individuals ; but, on his return the 

 eighth time, his horse being much fatigued, 



