THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 89 



graze ; but if he takes alarm, "he flings up his croup, 

 turns round, and with peculiarly shrill neighing warns 

 the herd, which immediately turns round, and gallops 

 off at an amazing rate, with the stallions in the rear, 

 stopping and looking back repeatedly, while the mares 

 and foals disappear as if by enchantment, because, 

 with unerring tact, they select the first swell of ground, 

 or ravine, to conceal them, until they re-appear at 

 a great distance, generally in a direction to preserve 

 the lee-side of the apprehended danger. Although 

 bears and w r olves occasionally prowl after a herd, they 

 will not venture to attack it, for the sultan-stallion 

 will instantly meet the enemy, and, rising on his 

 haunches, strike him down with his fore-feet ; and 

 should he be worsted, which is seldom the case, 

 another stallion becomes the champion ; and in the 

 case of a troop of wolves, the herd forms a close mass, 

 with the foals within, and the stallions charge in a 

 body, which no troop of wolves will venture to en- 

 counter. Carnivora, therefore, must be contented 

 with aged or injured stragglers. 



" The sultan-stallion is not, however, suffered to 

 retain the chief authority for more than one season 

 without opposition from others, rising, in the confi- 

 dence of youthful strength, to try by battle whether 

 the leadership should not be confided to them, and the 

 H 2 



