THE HOUSE AND HIS RIDER. 187 



the Serai ; no lord and father, but the Grand Signior ; no 

 will, but his ; no hope, but of his favour : they knew no 

 life, but one passed in rigid discipline and uncon- 

 ditional obedience ; no occupation, but war in the 

 Sultan's service ; no personal purpose, unless it were 

 plunder in this life, and, in death, the paradise thrown 

 open to him who fought for Islam. The glory of the 

 Moslem is departed, and the Sultan's army .is now a 

 rabble, more formidable to their friends, than to their 

 enemies but let us see what they were in the pleni- 

 tude of their strength. 



First, we behold the Timarli marshalled beneath 

 the banners of their respective corps ; they carry bows 

 and quivers, iron maces and daggers, scimitars and 

 lances ; they know how to use these various weapons, 

 at the right moment, with the utmost dexterity ; they 

 are trained with rare skill to pursue, and to retire, 

 now to hang back in alert suspense, now to dash 

 forward and scour the country. Their horses, too, 

 claim attention ; they come mostly from Syria, where 

 they have been reared with the utmost care, and 

 fondled almost like children. Judges indeed, objected 

 that they were somewhat ticklish to the stirrup, apt 

 to swerve aside, and hardmouthed; this, however, was 

 rather the fault of the riders, who used severe bits, 

 and short stirrups ; otherwise the animals were docile, 



