46 MY horse; my love. 



entirely: hence, by the uninitiated, and even by 

 travellers and horsemen who should know better, 

 they have been called 'blemishes,' and 'disfiguring 

 marks. ' An Arab's first glance at a horse is for these 

 important signs. The more marks the horse has the 

 longer his pedigree, and the more he is to be coveted. 

 The blood has been kept pure for so many centuries, 

 that any stain in it derived from possible cross- 

 breeding, would be considered ineradicable forever. 

 I will show you the picture of Gherka, an exqui- 

 site Arab, whom I owned many years ago, and who 

 was shot under me in battle." 



But she has marks on her flanks also! ^ 



"Certainly! That on the hind flank represents 

 her family, which was Nedj. The one on the shoul- 

 der signifies the province, Oran, where she was born, 

 and the name of the tribe 'Kehilan' is that to which 

 she belonged." 



She wouldn't have found it easy to lose herself, 

 thus adorned with her family history; but I imagine 

 few foreign eyes have ever beheld an Arabian of 

 such absolutely pure blood? 



" Very few travelers who have penetrated into the 

 desert for the purpose, have ever been rewarded by 

 the sight of these, as they are hidden away from 

 strangers; and other breeds of shorter pedigree, and 

 far less value, are brought forward to show their 

 paces, and perchance bring an incredible price to 

 their astute owners!" 



Are these marks not very hard to read? 



" To the scholar learned in cabalistic lore these 

 hieroglyphics are easily read, for beginning with the 



