THE ASS. 361 



deprivation of liberty. Thus it is that the ass was amongst the 

 earliest of the quadrupeds subjected to permanent servitude, and 

 retains so strongly the impress of slavery." 



It is open to doubt whether any of the original wild stock from 

 which the domesticated ass is descended is to be found in any 

 part of the globe at the present day. Dr. Sclater, however, says 

 there is every reason to believe they are sprung from the 

 Abyssinian species {Asinus Tceniopus), a theory which was also 

 emphasized by Darwin. 



Be this as it may, one thing is beyond doubt, certain species of 

 the race have from time immemorial been under the dominion of 

 man, for the ox, the ass, and the camel appear to have been the 

 first quadrupeds whose services were utilized, and they constituted 

 the chief portion of the wealth of the ancient shepherd tribes of 

 Syria. The ass was at that time apparently held in greater esteem 

 than the horse, for, as Mr. Low remarks, " Even after the return of 

 the descendants of Israel from a country of chariots and horses to 

 the land of their promised inheritance, they preserved the simple 

 habits of their forefathers in the use of this ancient servant. 

 They seem to have had their asses of nobler blood, to which they 

 applied a peculiar term. Princes and the honourable of the land 

 did not disdain to be borne by this ancient steed. Saul, when 

 called by a glorious destiny to be the king of Israel, was in search 

 of his father's asses, or oxonoth, which had strayed. His warlike 

 successor had his superintendent of oxonoth, as of the other 

 branches of his government, and even after the horse was 

 introduced for the purpose of traffic and war, the services of the 

 patient ass were neither disused nor despised." 



In Judges v. 10, the following verse, " Speak, ye that ride on 

 white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way," seems 

 indicative of the fact that the great or wealthy were even then 

 accustomed to ride on a white-coloured variety of the animal, 

 exactly as they do in many eastern countries at the present day. 

 In consequence of the preference shown for these white asses, they 

 command such high prices that their possession is only possible 

 among the richer classes, and to be the owner of one or more of 

 them carries with it a certain amount of distinction. 



