184- HISTORY OF 



tliey can tell the name, the surname, the colour, 

 and the marks properly belonging to each. When 

 they are not possessed of stallions of the noble 

 race themselves for their mares, they borrow from 

 their neighbours, paying a proper price as with 

 us, and receive a written attestation of the whole. 

 In this attestation is contained the name of the 

 horse and the mare, and their respective genealo- 

 gies. When the mare has produced her foal, new 

 witnesses are called, and a new attestation signed, 

 in which are described the marks of the foal, and 

 the day noted when it was brought forth. These 

 attestations increase the value of the horse ; and 

 they are given to the person who buys him. The 

 most ordinary mare of this race sells for five hun- 

 dred crowns ; there are many that sell for a thou- 

 sand ; and some of the very finest kinds for four- 

 teen or fifteen hundred pounds. As the Arabians 

 have no other house but a tent to live in, this also 

 serves them for a stable ; so that the mare, the 

 foal, the husband, the wife, and the children, lie 

 all together indiscriminately : the little children 

 are often seen upon the body or the neck of the 

 mare, while these continue inoffensive and harm- 

 less, permitting them thus to play with and caress 

 them without any injury. The Arabians never 

 beat their horses ; they treat them gently ; they 

 speak to them, and seem to hold a discourse ; they 

 use them as friends ; they never attempt to in- 

 crease their speed by the whip, nor spur them, 

 but in cases of necessity. However, when this 

 happens, they set off with amazing swiftness ; they 

 leap over obstacles with as much agility as a buck j 



