Barbs and Turks. 95 



Turkey? Now it is a well-known fact, that with the 

 exception of an occasional present, either to the Sultan 

 at Constantinople, or to the Pasha of Egypt, there are 

 no good Arabs either in Turkey or Egypt ; and the dis- 

 like Arabs have towards the Turks would prevent more 

 being sent than absolute policy might dictate, and they 

 would not willingly supply them with horses. Even at 

 a very recent period it is most probable that there was 

 but one real Arabian in the Sultan's possession, and that 

 had been obtained from an Englishman ; and the far 

 more reasonable supposition is that the horses brought 

 to this country from Turkey were only partly of Arabian 

 blood. And in many parts of Asia Minor are some 

 very useful breeds of horses which have been improved 

 by the Arabian, with excellent legs and feet — apparently 

 in that respect everything to be desired ; but they have 

 not the rare combination of qualities as in the Arabian, 

 nor his springiness and flexibility. Yet, without doubt, 

 many of these have been reckoned as Arabs in England. 

 With respect to the horses imported under the name 

 of Barbs, it must be remembered that, although the Emir 

 Abd-el-Kader says the ' horses of the Sahara^ are the pure 

 descendants of Arabians, he also says all Barbs are not 

 of unmixed blood, but that the breed has not been kept 

 pure, and has degenerated, and especially towards the 

 coast. And General Daumas, who has given the subject 

 the greatest attention, says : ' We may rest assured that, 

 for the most part, the animals sold to us' (he is referring 

 to Barbs) ' are of an inferior order.' Of the horses styled 

 Arabian little or nothing is now known of them or their 



