No. 9. 



The Arabian Horse. 



289 



THE ARABIAN HORSE. 

 From Low's grand work, '' Illustrations of the breeds of Domestic Animals. 



The exquisitely beautiful animal, here most faithfully represented, exhibits correctly the 

 form and character ot the genuine Arab. He was taken in an assault by an Arab tribe, on 

 a party of the royal family of Persia, when journeyin- on a pilgrimage. The chief who 

 headed the attacking party was killed, and his superb Charger, galloping into the Persian 

 ranks, was taken : a ransom enormous for so poor a tribe, was subsequently offered by the 

 Arabs for thc-hoble ammal, but was refused, and he was brought to England by Sir John 



ftrJl 1 . '^''!] ' '?"?" ^^'^^ ^"^ ^ ^^^*^ '^'?h. is gentle in the highest degree, and so 

 thoroughly trained in that kind of exercise which the Arabians are careful to^ea^h their 

 Horses, that he may be galloped round the narrowest circle. When his portrait was in the 

 hZta ^^'"^^,,P"'"te''' he was languid from the effects of cold; it was wished to rouse 

 him from his lethargy, and the idea occurred of trying the effect of a few tones of simple 

 mu.ic-the sounds no sooner reached his ear than his whole frame instantly became agitated 

 to a violent degree; his heart throbbed convulsively, and so great was his excitement that 

 It vvas found necessary instantly to stop the music! some chord of feeling, it would seem, 

 had been struck-perhaps he was reminded of his desert home, and his friends and com' 

 panions from whom he had been so rudely severed. The generous animal is here depicted 

 as scenting the garments and weapons of his slaughtered master, and no one can examine 

 wffhi ^K™K^ f ^" •'•^P'"^^?'^'' countenance, without experiencing a gush of feeling arising 

 within his breast, m sympathy with the beautiful mourner. ^ ^ 



«n Llt?f"l r'' ''V? 1'T^'^", ^""""'^ '" proverbial ; and although so elegantly formed, and 

 ftrp I? f -^ r*^- '''^^ ^\' '^'"' ^"'" ^''« ^^".^'ish horse would perish under the scanty 

 are, the toils, and privations he is doomed to suffer. They are patient of hunger and thirst, 

 Jp«prt° f ""J":,''^" '"J^^ °ther race, subsisting, oftentimes, on the withered herbs of the 

 desert, and roots dragged from under the sand, and even on the milk of the camel. Thev 



toirfhrn, Ttf ^^P°'-"'^ ^° ^"^^ ^^'f '^ ^"""^'^ ^"^ ^""y "'^^^^ ^^y P>"-«"« m^'-'^hes of incredible 

 toi through the burning sands of the wilderness, forming by their bodies a shade from the 



m^ WIP nt-nl '"^ sun under which their masters repose during the halt for a period in the 

 middle ot the oay, and a shelter by night. But an Arab never beats, or even speaks harshly 

 to his horse-he treats h™ as a companion, and his children find in him a playmate, and 

 use nfth. h>T ^'"'^^i'^'^^f' «"d all making a pillow of his neck by night. Without the 

 nt fnH t • ''".'11 obey the slightest motion of his rider; stand at a word, or put himself 



t"/thirTtrani"t:i^ ini" burnin'Ve^se;;! ""'"^' '' '''''' '''""'' ''' ''' ^^' "^^ '^'''' 



