m HISTORY OF 



to the north of China, but they are of a weak, timid breed, 

 small of stature, and useless in war. 



At the Cape of Good Hope there are numbers of horses in 

 a state of nature, but small, vicious, and untameable. They 

 are found wild also in several other parts of Africa ; but the 

 wretched inhabitants of that country either want the art to tame 

 them, or seem ignorant of their uses. It is common with the 

 negroes, who are carried over from thence to America, when 

 they fii'st see a horse, to testify both terror and surprise. These 

 poor men seem not to have any knowledge of such a creature ; 

 and, though the horse is probably a native of their own country, 

 they have let all the rest of mankind enjoy the benefit of his 

 services without turning them to any advantage at home. In 

 some parts of Africa, therefore, where the horse runs wild, the 

 natives seem to consider him rather in the light of a dainty for 

 food, than a useful creature, capable of assisting them either in 

 war or in labour -. riding seems a refinement that the natives of 

 Angola or Caffraria have not as yet been able to attend to ; 

 and whenever they catch a horse, it is only with an intent to eat 

 him. 



But of all countries in the world, where the horse runs wild, 

 Arabia produces the most beautiful breed, the most generous, 

 swift, and persevering. They are found, though not in great 

 numbers, in the deserts of that countiy ; and the natives use 

 every stratagem to take them. Although they are active and 

 beautiful, yet they are not so large as those that are bred up 

 tame ; they are of a brown colour, their mane and tail very short, 

 and the hair black and tufted.' Their swiftness is incredible ; 

 the attempt to pursue them in the usual manner of the chase, 

 with dogs, would be entirely fruitless. Such is the rapidity of 

 their tiight, that they are instantly out of view, and the dogs 

 themselves give up the vain pursuit. The only method, there- 

 fore, of taking them, is by traps hidden in the sand, which en- 

 tangling their feet, the hunter at length comes up, and either 

 kills them, or carries them home alive. If the horse be young, 

 he is considered among the Arabians as a very great delicacy ; 

 and they feast upon him while any part is found remahiing : but 

 if, from his shape or vigour, he promises to be serviceable in his 



1 Manu. Oosiiiipt. do rAfriqtio, lib. i. p, 51. 



