INTRODUCTION. 7 



careful of the children as of the colt. Such is the 

 mutual attachment between the horse and his master, 

 that he will leave his companions at his master's call, 

 ever glad to obey his voice. And when the Arab 

 falls from his horse, and is unable to rise again, 

 he will stand by him and neigh for assistance ; and 

 if he lies down to sleep, as fatigue sometimes compels 

 him to do in the midst of the desert, his faithful 

 steed will watch over him, and neigh to arouse him 

 if man or beast approaches. The Arabs frequently 

 teach their horses secret signs or signals, which they 

 make use of on urgent occasions to call forth their 

 utmost exertions. These are more efficient than the 

 barbarous mode of urging them on with the spur and 

 whip, a forcible illustration of which will be found 

 in the following anecdote : ./,.; 



A Bedouin, named Jabal, possessed a mare of great 

 celebrity. Hassan Pasha, then governor of Damascus, 

 wished to buy the animal, and repeatedly made the 

 owner the most liberal offers, which Jabal steadily 

 refused. The pasha then had recourse to threats, 

 but with no better success. At length, one Gafar, a 

 Bedouin of another tribe, presented himself to the 

 pasha, and asked what he would give the man who 

 should make him master of JabaPs mare ? "I will 

 fill his horse's nose-bag with gold," replied Hassan. 

 The result of this interview having gone abroad, 

 Jabal became more watchful than ever, and always 

 secured his mare at night with an iron chain, one 



