369 
THE FIELD. 
A WARNING VOICE. 
Beware of false friends! With this cry we warn the 
country and the government against certain secret influ- 
ences, both abroad and at home, that are undermining the 
open and honest course marked out for us by the balance 
of power and civilization. We are of no party; we look 
earnestly and anxiously to the welfare of our country; and 
our national pride engenders a Tiational feeling of jealousy 
if suspicion casts the slightest shadow upon our national 
honour. Let the government look to it, it is in their keeping, 
and for the good or ill, they are the responsible parties. Dearly 
will they be made to pay any dereliction from their faith that 
may endanger the high position we hold among the nations 
of the earth. The able article in the Times of Thursday, 
upon the conduct of the combined fleets in the Black Sea, 
lias produced the most painful sensation throughout the 
country, and has called an honest blush into every Briton’s 
cheek, at the contemptible position we appear to stand in 
before the world in allowing, after a loud and bullying 
order to the contrary, a small Russian force to twice tra- 
verse that sea and remove 5,000 troops, women, children, 
mid artificers in perfect safety, destroy the forts, and 
this, too, under the very surveillance of an English and 
a French frigate. On whom have the mantles of England’s 
chieftains fallen ? Have we doffed our lion’s hide and 
become the jackall of the carrion-fed, double-headed 
Russian bird of prey? Heaven forbid ! Then our troops 
are delayed at Malta, instead of being at once forwarded 
to their destination, by which enormous expenses in re- 
embarking and re-landing are entailed upon the people 
here. The preparations for the reception of the troops 
are lamentably inefficient. Vessels are waiting to em- 
bark troops in Dublin, at a charge of £50 per day each. 
The commanders of the troops are dallying away their 
time, footing it featly'in a lady’s chamber. Why is all 
this? Is there something rotten in the State? We see 
by the Berlin papers that the Duke of Suxe Coburg, or Saxe 
Coburg Gotha, lias solicited a command of the King of 
Prussia. What! to fight against the interests of England ? 
There must be some error of the moon ; therefore awake, 
Englishmen, from this apathy ! do not let our children turn 
from the page of their father’s history with disgust. Be 
warned in time, and convince the world that our honour, 
once engaged, wo will fight in defence of it “ against any 
odds ! ” 
WHITE 11 AM DAN I — A NEDJDI OF THE STUD AT ST. CLOUD. 
OUTRAGE ON BRITISH SUBJECTS. 
The Russian police at Bucharest is raging with unusual 
ferocity against all strangers there ; and very recently a M. 
Biagini, a British subject, nnd a M. Duprat, a French ono, 
were most severely whipped on a fictitious charge of having 
spoken disparagingly of the Czar. The consulars (Story 
and Grunt) were to be sont to the fortress of Bender. — 
Morning Chronicle of Thursday. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Sunday, April 23. — (First Sunduy after Easter.) — Low 
Sunday, St. George. Lessons for Morning Service, Numbers xvi. 
Acts xx ; Evening, Numbers xxii. 2ud Peter ii. — Tuesday. 
April 25, St. Mark Evan. — Wednesday, April 26, Oxford and 
Cambridge Term begins. 
On the 22nd, the Sun Rises at 4h. 54in ; Sets, 7h. 4m. Day 
breaks, 2h. 37m. ; Twilight ends, 9h. 21m. ; Length of day, 14h. 
10m. ; Duration of twilight, 4h. 34m. ; Length of night, 5h.l5m. 
The Moon is at Last Quarter. April 19, at midnight ; and 
during this week will be seen in the mornings before sunrise. 
Venus and Jupiter are morning stars ; and Mars and Saturn 
are evening stars. 
HOME *NEWS. 
The Court. — Hev Majesty and the other members of 
the Royal family are still sojourning at Windsor Castle. 
During the week, they have availed themselves of the 
beautiful weather to enjoy their customary out-door exer- 
cise in the Home Park and neighbourhood of Windsor. 
At a Privy Council held on Saturday, a proclamation 
was ordered, appointing Wednesday next to be observed 
as a day of humiliation. 
Among the illustrious guests at the dinner parties at the 
Castle, during the week, were — Her Royal Highness the 
Duchess of Kent, the Earl of Aberdeen, Lieut.-Colonel 
Hon. N. and Lady Mary Hood, Lady Anna Maria Daw- 
son, and the Baroness de Speth. The band of the 97th 
regiment, and Her Majesty’s private baud, have been 
in attendance, and performed at the banquets varied 
selections of instrumental pieces. 
FASHIONABLE WORLD. 
Viscount and Viscouutcss Palmerston left town on 
Tuesday, for their seat, Broadlands, Hants. 
Lord and Lady Monteagle are on a visit to the Lady 
Marian Alford, at Ashbridge Park, Hants. 
Lord and Lady Seaton and the Hon. Miss Colborne, 
have left Farrance’s Hotel for Deer Park, Devon. 
Sir Benjamin and Lady Hall are passing the Easter 
holidays at their scat in Wales. 
The Duchess of Gloucester continues to go on favour- 
ably, at Gloucester House. The Duchess (Emily) of 
Beaufort, and other personal friends of the duchess, visited 
Her Royal Highness on Wednesday. 
The Marquis of Abcrcorn has left Chesterfield House 
for St. Leonard’s- on-Sea, where the marchioness and 
family are staying. The contemplated matrimonial alli- 
ance between "his lordship’s second daughter, Lady Beatrice 
Hamilton, and the Earl of Durham, will be solemnized 
early in the ensuing month. 
The Duke and Duchess of Bedford arc passing the 
recess at Endsleigh Cottage, near Tavistock. 
The Countess Brownlow has arrived at Belgrave-square 
from Torquay, for the season. The Ladies Cust have left 
town for Tunbridge Wells. 
The Earl of Cottenham has left Park-lane on a tour in 
the East. 
‘ The Earl and Countess of Wilton and the Ladies Eger- 
ton have arrived in Grosvenor-square, from Egerton 
Lodge, Melton Mowbray, for the season. 
Lady and Miss Graham ’eft the Admiralty on Wednes- 
day, for Netherby Hall, Cumberland. The right hon. 
baronet, who has been just nominated a civil G.C.B. by 
her Majesty, remains in London to discharge his onerous 
official duties. 
Death of Ladt John Manners.— It is with the 
deepest regret we announce the decease of Lady John 
Manners, which took place on Friday last, at the early age 
of 23. Lady John Manners was the daughter of the late 
Colonel Marley, an owner of large property in Ireland, 
and was connected with the noble houses of Rutland, 
Charleviile, and othgre. She was married to her termed 
husband in 1851, 
ON THE MARKS BY WHICH THE ARABS VALUE THEIR 
HORSES. 
From the most remote limes, the Arabs have paid the 
greatest attention to the distinctive marks by which the 
good or bad points of a horse may be recognised from its 
very birth. It has been made a science which has de- 
scended to our days more by the aid of tradition than any 
regular written instructions. The Arabs know the general 
characteristics of their ancient breeds perfectly, and attach, 
above all, much importance to certain details apparently 
trivial to us ; but which are to them an index which serves 
to illustrate the peculiarities incident to the race or indivi- 
dual. The physical qualities the Arabs esteem most in 
their horses are as follows : — a small head, the ears 
pointed, and almost touching at their extremities, the 
forehead broad, the eyes prominent and sparkling, the 
lower jaw large and bony, the muzzle pointed aud naked, 
the nostril expanded, the neck long and arched, the chest 
well developed, the hind quarters higher than with us and 
rounded, the body of the horse rather sleudcr, the tail 
short and small, the legs nervous, the houghs short and 
easily moved, and the hoofs hard and of middling size. 
When the three principal beauties of a horse — namely, the 
head, hind-quarters and legs aro found united, they con- 
sider it a perfect animal ; and even then they would not 
mount it, or use it as a stallion, if it had anv unlucky sign. 
There are several natural signs regarded by the Arabs, 
some as unlucky for the rider or owner, aud others ns 
favourable and likely to bring happiness and good for- 
tune. The actual number of these sigus is not deter- 
mined : twenty unlucky signs have been reckoned up, and 
the total number of good and bad has been fixed at 
seventy ; however, there are some who make the number 
much less. 
The Arabs, ns well as the Turks and Persians, look 
upon those portions of a horse’s coat, which seem to 
grow in a contrary direction here and there, as a certain 
means of determining its value. Any unlucky sign will 
immediately take away from the horse two-thirds of its 
worth, and sometimes more. Nearly all the Ncdjdi Arab 
horses introduced into Europe are those considered imper- 
fect by their owners. It is said that £4,000 was offered 
by an aide-de-camp of the Emperor of Russia for the cele- 
brated “ White Hamdani,” and refused. This horse, now 
in the breeding yard at St. Cloud, near Paris, had, accord- 
ing to the words of Mohammed Agha and the attendants, 
who brought him over, three or four unlucky signs, on 
which account he had been rejected from the stables of the 
Pacha of Egypt. These marks, which we should consider 
merely as a simple freak of nature, would inspire a Mus- 
sulman either with a superstitious prejudice against the 
horse, or an incredible longing to mount him; each mark 
bearing a particular signification according to the place 
it occupies, and the size and softness of the hair. 
We now give a list of the most characteristic, from in- 
formation afforded us by an Arab who had wandered over 
Mesopotamia, Syria, and Ncdjdi, the countries where the 
most beautiful Eastern horses are to be met with. (See 
engraving.) 
1. Called kanaail: two marks situated on the higher 
part of the forehead, near the temples — favourable. 
2. El-cheri/cain : two marks situated above the eyes — 
favourable. 
3. Kabr ou kabr maflouli, i. e., open tomb. A mark 
situated on the lower part of the forehead, and considered 
as the most unlucky of all the signs. This is well-known 
to every Arab. 
4. Nadabat : marks on each side of the lower jaw — un- 
lucky on a mare; of no importance on a stallion. 
5. Rhanakat : marks under the throat, considered favour- 
able by some, and as unlucky by others. The Arab who 
gave me this list informed me that no importance was at- 
tached to them in Syria. 
6. Hedjab : favourable marks situated on both sides of 
the windpipe. 
7. Chakel-djeib ; an unlucky sign. 
8. Nichanel-sidr : favourable. 
9. El-djeraid . a mark under the hair — favourable. 
10. A ichanel-cherihah ; favourable. 
11. Nichanel-dera : insignificant if the white on the 
horses leg does not come up to it ; unlucky if that is the 
case. 
12. Nxchar.el-aourrah ou s obak ; Piark.9 SitUftM WO 9ldC 
of thg Bftrel— fftY<?ur«blg. 
13. Boch-nichan: on the hind quarters — unlucky. The 
marcs who have this mark conceive with difficulty. 
14. Innah . an unlucky mark. 
15. Djennabat : marks on the side — of no importance 
when the saddle covers them, but reckoned uulueky if left 
uncovered. 
General Daumas, from whom nothiug has escaped con- 
cerning these marks, and on which point the Arabs are 
very chary of giving information, in his interesting work 
on the “ Horses of Sahara,” has devoted several chap- 
ters of his book to the signs which the inhabitants of the 
desert consider of good or bad fortune to the horse or 
rider. Besides laying an extract from this work before 
the public, we shall examino the connexion between theso 
lists, the information contained in which has beeu 
gathered from two portions of Africa, far distant one from 
the. other. 
A horse has 40 marks ; of these 40 there are 28 which 
in general are considered as neither good nor bad, and 1*2 to 
which an influence is attributed. Six are recognised us 
contributions to the increase of wealth and happiness, and 
six as causing ruin and misfortune. 
THE MARKS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED OF GOOD OMEN. 
1. The mark which is between the cars ( nekhletel-aadar ) 
t. e., the mark of the litter, shows that the horse is swift. 
(This sign oft'ers much analogy with that called kanadil in 
Egypt aud in Syria.) 
2. The marks on the sides of the chest ( sebaael-ncby 
— i.e., the finger of the prophet) signifies that the master 
will die a good Mussulman in his bed. 
3. The mark of the sultan ( nekhletel-soultan ), this 
passes all down the chest, following the course of the 
windpipe. Love, riches, prosperity. The horse rejoicing in 
this mark makes 3 wishes a day. May Allah ! grant that 
my master may consider me as the most precious thiug he 
possesses in the world. May Allah! grunt him a liuppy 
fate, so that I may share it. And — May Allah! grant the 
favour of allowing him to die a martyr on rny back. 
4. The mark of the breast ( zeradyuh ) fills the tent with 
plunder. (This is the nichanel-sidr of Ilazbasl.) 
5. The mark of the girths ( nckhletal-hezam ) increases 
the flocks. (This is the nichancl-cherihah of our list.) 
C. The mark ou the flanks ( nekhletel-cheuour — 
mark of the spurs) if situated on the upper side, or near 
the back, preserves the rider from all accidents in war ; it 
on the lower side, and near the belly, it is a sign of riches 
for the master. (This mark appears to us to correspond 
with number 15, called ifjennabut.) 
MARKS OP EVIL OMEN. 
1. Netahyat : a mark which is found below the eye- 
brows — the master will experience a violent death from a 
blow on the head, (this is, we believe, number 3 of our 
list, the kabr-maftouh or open tomb.) 
2. Nckhletel-nnach . i. c., the mark of the coflin. I his 
is found near the withers, and descends towards the 
shoulders. The rider can only perish on the back of such 
a horse. . 
3. Neddabyat : f. e. the weepers. A mark which is 
found on the cheeks. Debts, tears and ruin, (this is num- 
ber 4, nadabat of our list, a sign considered unlucky on 
mares.) 
4. Nekhletel-khriana : i. the mark of theft. I his 
is found on the fitlock — morning and evening he says, 
“ O Allah, grant that I may be atmen, or that my master 
may die.” 
6. The mark that is found on tbo side of the tail an- 
nounces trouble, misery and famine, (14 of our list called 
irma or mehrimah.) 
6. The mark found outside the thigh signifies that wives, 
children, and floods are destined to disappear. 
I have given the classification generally adopted ; but 
it is not absolute, it varies according to the localities ; 
each tribe increases or diminishes the number of these for- 
tunate and unlucky signs. 
In the manuscript notes of a voyage to the Last, by 
Ibrahim Mansour Effendi (M. Corfberr.) I find lour other 
signs which may be added to this catalogue. A mark 
which raises itself in the middle of the forehead like a 
solitary palm tree, b the sign of a large fortune, it is 
called the road to happiness. A mark on the upper part 
of the fore-legs of a horso signifies victory to his rider, it 
b called the hand Q( AUah, tf the hair Q n the legs curb 
it i« unlucky. 
