THE HUMOURS OF THE RACECOURSE 117 



to leave tlie space clear. There was a pause for a 

 moment, and then an Arab was seen to dash suddenly 

 out of the crowd, and gallop madly across the open, 

 standing high in his stirrups, his burnous fluttering 

 in the breeze, and the gaudy shelil, or cloth with 

 which on great occasions the Arab always covers the 

 croup of his horse, streaming out like a banner 

 behind him. When he reached the middle of the 

 open space, still galloping furiously, he fired his long 

 gun, and, waving it over his head, sped away over 

 the plain as if his life depended on it. Then came 

 another; then came three or four; then came a 

 dozen, until at length the whole plain was alive with 

 galloping, firing Bedouins. Then as soon as there 

 was a strong body mustered on the opposite side, 

 they began to gallop and fire in the reverse direction, 

 and we fancied it was all over ; but two or three 

 enthusiasts would always break out, let fly, and com- 

 municate the infection to the rest. 



In spite of the excellence of Arab horsemanship, 

 the display was not free from accidents. Eirst one 

 poor fellow, apparently from his girth breaking, 

 came to grief; then another got an ugly purl just in 

 front of the stand, and was helped off the ground ; 

 but the worse case was that of an unfortunate 

 fantasiast, whose horse made a mistake somehow in 

 mid-career, and over and over rolled horse and rider 

 in a horrible confused mass. After a struggle or 

 two the horse kicked himself loose, and made off, 



