3 42 
A CRUSADE IN THE EAST. 
broken leg and two crippled legs), tbe very point that most 
required explanation, my horse Saladin, still chafing under his 
recent disappointment, seized that moment to obtain satisfac¬ 
tion ; and the way he obtained it was, by seizing in his teeth 
that portion of Yusef’s horse which was nearest to him. 
Now I have never said that Syed Sulemin was a cowardly 
horse : I do not say so now; his spirit was beyond question. 
But there are times when the bravest of horses, as well as 
the bravest of mankind, are apt to betray a natural weakness 
incident to the flesh. So sudden and so exquisite was the 
torture inflicted upon Sulemin by this unprovoked attack, 
that he not only yelled in the excess of his anguish, but 
jumped at least two feet from the ground. Nor did he cease 
his convulsive throes when he lit upon the ground again; 
but continued to rear and plunge in such a frightful manner 
that it was quite evident the pain had driven him mad. 
Every horse in the party, either from astonishment at this 
unexpected turn of affairs, or fear of consequences, began to 
rear and plunge at the same moment. The result was, that 
the horse of the English captain, having only the perfect use 
of three legs, was unable to plunge sufficiently far out of the 
way; and Syed Sulemin in the fury of his wrath, upon dis¬ 
covering, as he thought, the author of the insult, gave that 
unfortunate animal a kick that sent him staggering into the 
midst of the other horses, where he was kicked again by the 
iron-gray, and afterward bitten by Saladin. It was with 
the utmost difficulty that we were enabled to restore order 
among the contending parties. 
When order was at length restored, we resumed our jour¬ 
ney ; but such was the jealousy and ill-feeling, not only be¬ 
tween the horses, but between the riders, each of us protesting 
that it was the fault of the others, that a general gloom pre¬ 
vailed in the end, and we rode on for several hours in silence. 
What conclusion my companions came to, I am unable to 
say : for my own part I was determined never again to join 
in a gazelle-hunt to the latest hour of my existence. 
