32 THE HORSE. 



not aware that there are any reliable grounds for considering this 

 celebrated horse as a Barb rather than an Arab, and according to 

 the usual description of the former, his size is against the hypo- 

 thesis. Still, as he is generally so considered, I have added his 

 description to that of the Barb, leaving my readers to draw their 

 own conclusions. 



THE EGYPTIAN HORSE. 



Tx tiie first Chapter I have shown that there is a strong 

 reason for believing that the horse was introduced to Arabia 

 through Egypt, and that the latter country again derived its supply 

 from the central regions of Africa, which probably also furnished 

 the Barbary States. The modern Egyptian horse is a very second- 

 rate animal, and, according to Burckhardt, "is ugly, of coarse shape, 

 and looking more like a cart-horse than a racer." He says, "Their 

 legs and knees, and short and thick necks, are frequent defects 

 among them. The head is sometimes fine; but I never saw good 

 legs in an Egyptian horse. They are not able to bear any great 

 fatigue, but when well fed their action occasionally is more bril- 

 liant than that of the Arabian ; their impetuosity, however, ren- 

 ders them peculiarly desirable for heavy cavalry, and it is upon 

 this quality alone that their celebrity has ever been founded." 



There are said to be some fine breeds in the interior of the 

 country ; but, as a rule, the Egyptian horse stands very low in the 

 estimation of travellers. Of late years more attention has been 

 paid to his breeding by the Viceroy and his subordinates, and it is 

 said that some considerable improvement has taken place. 



THE HORSES OF DONGOLA AND ABYSSINIA. 



The Dongola breed has been celebrated by that trustworthy 

 authority, Mr. Bruce, as of the highest symmetry, size, and 

 strength. He also praises highly their temper and docility, but 

 seems to know nothing of their actual performances. Other wri- 

 ters, however, find fault with their want of substance, and pro- 

 nounce them to be deficient in stoutness. 



The Abyssinian Horse is generally described as of good size 

 • and power, but I know of no reliable authority on which to depend 

 in reference to particular points. 



OTHER AFRICAN HORSES. 



Besides the above distinct breeds of African horses there 

 are several others which are not clearly made out, but to which 

 individual travellers have alluded as, in their opinion, decided 

 varieties of the animal. Thus Mr. Tully speaks of the Bornou 

 horse as superior both to the Barb and Arab, but his statement is 

 not verified by travellers of later date. The South African horse, 

 used by the Kafirs in the recent wars with the Boors of the Cape 



