47C HlSTOllY OF 



main wliolo (Liys togxtbcr without tha least mischief. The 

 Turks, on the contrary, are not fond of mares ; and the Arabians 

 sell them such horses as they do not choose to keep for stallions 

 at home. They preserve the pedigree of their horses with great 

 care, and for several ages back. They know their alliances, and 

 all their genealogy ; they distinguish the races by different names, 

 and divide them into three classes. The first is that of tlte 

 nobles, the ancient breed, and unadulterated on either side ; the 

 second is that of the horses of the ancient racs, but adulter- 

 ated •, and the third is that of the common and inferior kind : the 

 last they sell at a low price ; but those of the first class, and even 

 of the second, amongst which are found horses of equal value to 

 the fornier, arc sold extremely dear. They know, by long ex- 

 perience, the race of a horse by his appearance ; they can tell 

 the name, the surname, the colour, and the marks properly be- 

 longing to each. When they are not possessed of stallions of 

 the noble race themselves, for their mares, they borrow from 

 their neighbours, paying a proper price, as with us, and 

 receive a written attestation of tlie whole. In this attestation 

 is contained the name of the horse and the mare, and their re- 

 spective genealogies. When the mare has produced her foal, 

 new witnesses are called, and a new attestation signed, in which 

 are described the marks of the foal, and the day noted wlien it 

 was brought forth. These attestations increase the value of the 

 horse ; and they are given to the person who buys him. The 

 most ordinary mare of this race sells for five hundred crowns ; 

 there are many that sell for a thousand ; and some of the very 

 'inest kinds for fourteen or fifteen hundred pounds. As the 



"Arabians have no other house but a tent to live in, this also 

 serves them for a stable ; so that the mare, the foal, the hus- 

 band, the wife, and the children, lie all together indiscriminately ; 

 the little children are often seen upon the body or the neck of 

 the mare, while these continue inoffensive and harmless, permit- 

 ting them thus to play with and caress them without any injury. 

 The Arabians never beat their horses : they treat them gently ; 

 they speak to them, and seem to hold a discourse ; they use them 

 as friends ; they never attempt to increase their speed by the 



whip, nor spur them, but in cases of necessity. However, wlien 

 this happens, they set off with amazing swiftness ; they leap over 

 obstacles with as much agility as a buck ; and if the rider hap- 



