THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 119 



drivers, for the herd is never more certain to keep 

 together than when made timid by the appearance of 

 a strange place. In the market-place the taboon is 

 driven into an enclosure, near which the owner seats 

 himself, and the tabunshick enters along with his 

 horses. The buyers walk round to make their selection. 

 They must not expect the horses to be trotted out for 

 their inspection, as at Tattersall's, but must judge for 

 themselves as well as they can, with the comfortable 

 reflection, that, after they have bought the animals, 

 they will have ample time to become acquainted with 

 them. " I have none but wild horses to sell," the 

 owner will say. " Look at them as long as you please. 

 That horse I will warrant five years old, having bred 

 him on my own Steppe. Further than that I know 

 nothing of him. The price is a hundred rubles. 

 Will you take him ? If you say yes, I'll order him to 

 be caught ; but I'd advise you to make the tabunshick 

 a present, that he may take care not to injure the 

 animal in catching it." This last caution is by no means 

 to be neglected, for a horse, carelessly caught, may be 

 lamed for several weeks; and as the horse is never 

 caught till the bargain has been concluded, any injury 

 done to the animal is the buyer's business, not the 

 seller's. If, on the other hand, the tabunshick be 

 satisfied with the fee given him, he goes about his 



