The Bi^eed Preserved. 1 2 7 



There are numerous instances mentioned of the horse 

 leaving Arabia for other parts of the world, but no 

 account of his having been imported into that country 

 as an unknown animal, subsequently to the dispersion 

 from Babel. The original inhabitants of Arabia, the sons 

 of Joktan or Kahtan, founded kingdoms and built 

 cities. Yarab, one son, had the province of Yemen, and 

 another son, Jorham, became King of Hejaz. His pos- 

 terity continued to reign as kings until the time of 

 Ishmael, when either the Ketanic princes were expelled, 

 or the two peoples became one by intermarriage. At this 

 period the kingly rule was changed, in a great measure 

 at all events, for the patriarchal, as among the Bedouin 

 of the present day. Yet in the days of Moses the 

 Ishmaelites were possessed of castles and towns, and 

 towns of considerable extent with castles and palaces 

 are still numerous in Arabia. All Arabs are not Bedouin.' 

 Arabia, having been cut off from neighbouring countries 

 where not separated by sea, by a girdle of desert, and by 

 outposts of watchful Bedouin, has preserved its breed of 

 horses as well as its independence, and has never been 

 thoroughly subjugated by any. 



It has been stated that celebrated as Persian horses 

 afterwards became, there were very few of them, and 

 those inferior until the time of Cyrus ; and he greatly 

 encouraged the breeding of horses. It is very probable 



• A high state of civilisation was enjoyed by the early Arabians — perhaps 

 that of the antediluvian world ; for some of the works of Abd-Shems, the 

 great-grandson of Joktan, still remain, and are perhaps capable of resto- 

 ration 



