206 CASSELL'S POPULAR NATURAL HISTORY. 



. On the other hand, the Funges of Africa ride only male horses ; they are in an open plain 

 v, anil, therefore, trust solely to superior force. 



There are partnerships in valuable mares. A Marseilles merchant was thus partner in a maro 

 with an Arab whose name was Ibrahim Abou Vouasses. This mare, whose name was Touysse, 

 besides her beauty, her youth, and her price of 1,200 crowns, was of the first noble race. That 

 merchant had her whole genealogy, with her descent both on the sire and the mother's side, for the 

 last five hundred years, all from public records. Ibrahim made frequent journeys to Kama to inquire 

 news of that mart', which he loved extremely. 



D'Arvieux says, " I have many a time had the pleasure to see him cry with tenderness, while he 

 was kissing and caressing her ; he would embrace her, wipe her eyes with his handkerchief, and rub 

 her with his shirt-sleeves, and give her a thousand blessings during whole hours that he would be 

 talking to her. ' My eyes !' would he say to her, 'my soul ! my heart ! Must I be so unfortunate 

 as to have thee sold to so many masters, and not be able to keep thee myself? I am poor, my gazelle. 

 You know well enough,. my sweet, that I have brought thee up like my child. I never beat thee, 

 never chid thee ; but did cherish thee as the apple of mine eye. God preserve thee, my dearest ! 

 Thou art beautiful ! thou art sweet ! thou art lovely ! God defend thee from the evil eye !' And so 

 he would go on saying a thousand things like these. He then embraced her, kissed her eyes, and went 

 backwards, bidding her the most tender adieus." 



When a Persian envoy was encamped near Bagdad, an Arab rode a bright bay mare, of extra- 

 ordinary shape and beauty, before his tent, until he attracted his attention. On being asked if he 

 would sell her, " What will you give me ? " was the reply. " That depends upon her age ; I suppose 

 she is past five?" "Guess again," said he. "Four?" "Look at her mouth," said the Arab, with a 

 smile. On examination, she was found to be rising three. This, from her size and symmetry, greatly 

 enhanced her value. The envoy said, " I will give you fifty tomans " (a coin nearly of the value of 

 a pound sterling). " A little more, if you please," said the fellow, apparently entertained. " Eighty 

 a hundred." He shook his head and smiled. The offer at last came to two hundred tomans. 

 "Well," said the Arab, "you need not tempt me further; it is of no use. You are a rich elch6e 

 (nobleman). You have fine horses, camels, and mules, and, I am told, you have loads of silver and 

 gold. Now," added he, "you want my mare; but you shall not have her, for all you have got." 



An Arab sheik, or chief, who lived not far from Bussorah, had a favourite breed of horses. He 

 lost one of his best mares, and could not for a long time discover whether she was stolen or had strayed. 

 Some time after, a young man of a different tribe, who had long wished to marry his daughter, but had 

 always been rejected by the sheik, obtained the lady's consent, and eloped with her. The sheik and his 

 followers pursued, but the lover and his mistress, mounted on one horse, made a wonderful flight and 

 escaped. The old chief now swore that the fellow was either mounted on the devil or the favourite 

 mare he had lost. After his return, he found the latter was the case ; that the lover was the thief of 

 his mare as well as his daughter ; and that he stole the one to carry off the other. And what was the 

 result ? Great was the gratification of the chief to think that he had not been beaten by the mare of 

 another breed ; and he was easily reconciled to the lover, in order that he might recover his mare, which 

 appeared an object about which he was more solicitous than about his daughter. 



It is said that every Bedouin has some secret sign to which he accustoms his horse, and by which 

 he intimates when he wishes the animal to put forth its utmost speed. The following is an anecdote 

 illustrative of this fact, and also of the extreme regard cherished for these noble animals : Giabal 

 possessed a very excellent mare. Hassad Pacha, vizier of Damascus, endeavoured to obtain it, but in 

 vain. He employed threats, but with no success. At length, another Bedouin, Giafar, came to the 

 pacha, and asked him what he would give him if he brought to him Giabal's mare. " I will fill thy 

 biirley-sack with gold," was the pacha's reply. 



It was the practice of Giabal to fasten his mare at night by the foot with an iron ring, the chain 

 of which passed into his tent, being held by a picket fixed in the ground, under the very felt which 

 tae\ i d him and his wife for a bed. At midnight, therefore, Giafar crept into the tent on all-fours, and 

 bttunuting himself between Giabal and his wife, pushed gently first the one and then the other. The 

 hiisliaurl thought his wife was pushing, she thought the same of her husband, so each made more room. 

 Giafar then, with a knife, made a slit in the felt, took out the picket, untied the mare, mounted her, 



