J84 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



before their heads and haunches stream with blood. 

 Even, in skirmishes with the natives, the horses take part 

 in the fray, tearing each other with their teeth, while 

 their masters are at similar close quarters on their 

 backs. 



The ancient Persians sedulously taught their 

 children three things : to ride, to shoot with the bow, 

 and to speak the truth. Their modern descendants 

 never speak the truth when they can help it ; archers 

 they are not, although notorious for drawing the long 

 bow; but horsemanship is still in great esteem amongst 

 them. The following amusing anecdote is related by 

 Sir John Malcolm : 



"Before the year 1800," he says, "no political 

 mission from an European nation had visited the 

 court of Persia, for a century ; but the English, though 

 only known in that country as merchants, had fame as 

 soldiers, from the report of their deeds in India. An 

 officer of one of the frigates, who had gone ashore to 

 visit the envoy, when mounted on a spirited horse, 

 afforded no small entertainment to the Persians by 

 his bad horsemanship. The next day, the man who 

 supplied the ship with vegetables, and who spoke a 

 little English, met him on board, and said, 'Do n't be 

 seize, bite, and kick each other, with the most de- 

 termined fury, and frequently cannot be separated 



