170 MULES 



received some years since from an intelligent traveller 

 of undoubted veracity, who had visited Arabia on the 

 south-western side of the peninsula to Mocha ; and on 

 the eastern, as far as the mouth of the Tigris. He 

 represented the superior race of asses of that country 

 as most beautiful — of perfect symmetry, great spirit, 

 activity, and vigour. He had seen those that could 

 not be purchased for less than four or jive thousand 

 dollars — an enormous price, considering the value of 

 money among those people.* I understand from him, 

 that the Arabs were as tenacious of preserving the 

 pedigrees of their horses, as the most careful breeder 

 for the turf in England — and not less so of their asses. 

 The descent of some of them they trace to those in the 

 train of the queen of Sheba, when she visited Solomon 

 — as they also do that of their horses to the numerous 

 stud of that wise and gallant king. 



Dr. Harris supposes the wild ass {Para) to be the 

 Onager of the ancients ; and that the Atou was of a 

 different kind. My impressions coincide with the 

 opinion of the learned divine — but may not writers of 

 different periods have confounded the wild ass with the 

 Aton in their representations of the Onager? for it is 

 not improbable, but that the Aton was of the most 

 improved breed known, produced from crosses of a 

 choice selection of the domestic, the wild ass, and the 

 Hemionus, or wild mule — w^hich last Professor Pallas 

 recommends to complete the perfection of the species. 

 This supposition is supported by Buffon, who infers 



*Neibuhr remarks, " there are two sorts of assos in Arabia; the 

 smaller or lazy ass, as little valued there as in Euorpe ; and a large 

 and high spirited breed, which are greatly valued, and sell at a very 

 liigJi price ; I preferred them to horses.' See Neibuhr's travels in 

 Arabia. 



