156 The Arabiaji Horse. 



S'bah division of the Gomassa family ; in the same 

 way as the English horse, Saunterer, for instance, in 

 male descent, might be described of the Darley Arabian 

 line, of the Waxy family, of the Birdcatcher branch. I 

 am assured that many horses in the stables of the 

 Imaun of the Wahabees have been obtained from the 

 Bedouin, especially the Anezah, either purchased, or by 

 tribute, or as gifts.' The blood in Nejed and among 

 other Bedouin is the same. 



I believe there is really but one breed of Arabian 

 horses, although many families. There are five principal 

 families, not breeds, derived from five celebrated mares. 

 They are usually styled Seglawi, Keheilan, Abeyan, 

 Hadban, and Hamdami. No allusion is intended to 

 the tale of five mares ridden by Mohammed and his 

 followers ; which I believe to be a European invention. 

 The Arabian horse existed thousands of years before 

 Mohammed's time ; besides, the Arabs say, as was 

 before mentioned, that his one follower rode on a camel. 



The Bedouin would scorn any horse or mare that 

 could not be traced back to these five families. Certain 

 specific adjuncts to these names indicate first-class 

 animals, or the best specimens of the five families or 

 varieties ; other specific names denote second-class 

 animals ; and an absence of a distinguishing name to 

 the generic, implies the animals are of the third class. 

 The numerous divisions that have sprung from these 



' As the Ibn Sawood, the ruling family of the Wahabees at Riad, is of 

 Anezah origin, the first being a Sheik of the Sebaa, this may be the 

 more readily received. 



