The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-14 00:00:00

ASTLEY'S.

This favourite place of amusement well sustains its
long esta'elished character as the principal eqwstrien
establishment in the British empire. Last night the
spirited manager of this theatre, in conformi:v with his
usual custom. produced a ntiv.,l and original t qaestrian
spectacle for the Eastar holidays, which is entitled
The Arab Steed, or the Pearl of the Euphrates. It
combines the interest of a rainaltic story, crowded with
stirring events, with the gorgeous scenery and decora-
tions which are peculiar to Asiatic exhibitions. The
drama is from the pen of Mr. Leman lie ode. It com-
mences with a view of the desert near the mouth of the
Euphrates, where Arrac, " the Son of. the Down," was
resolved to dwell, acid not accompany his tribe, who
were about to set out with their steeds, baggage, Eric., to
dwell in the sunshine of Caliph Omar's power. Ac-
cording to an old tradiion it was affirmed that upon
the last steed of pore Arab bled, and the last of a
great tribe, being left alone, wandering in the desert,
the Caliph's power would be at an end This appre-
hension so worked upon the Caliph Omar that he
-eat one-half of his courtiers to obtain the Arab steed, in
the possession of Arrac, which he fancied was the
one referred to in the tradition. Arrac refused the
request, and was in consequence surrounded by the
troops of Omar, who marched him off a prisoner.
A council was held by Omar, at which Arrac and his
family were assembled as prisoners. Arm at length
brings forth his steed, and after declining the most
tempting offers made to hire, fur the steed is condemned
to death, and his wi'e, son, and daughter are kept
prisoners, notwithstanding the most earnest interces•
sion by Selitn, the nephew and suecessor of the Caliph,
on behalf of Zillah, the daughter of Arrac, with whom he
has fallen in love. In the meantime the noble animal,
as if prompted by instinct, bounds eff from the guards
by whom he is surrounded—makes a sudden anti
marvellous escape, and flies back to the desert with the
speed of lightning. After a variety of thrilling incidents
which were depicted with great power, Llaha Louri,
the Arabian Amazon, calls up her guard of female
warriors, who like true daui,hters of the desert, vow that
that they will avenge the wrongs of Arrac, the son of
the desert. The Arab regains his steed, vengeance is
wreaked on the Caliph, the palace and round tower are
fired, the fortress is demoashed, and after the most
deadly encounters and bailout try conflicts between the
Caliph and his myrmidons on the one side, and Arrac
with the brave Amazoniens on the other, the curtain
falls on the triumph of the tribes, and the victory of
might over right. Barney Branagan, from Ballyragget,
who was wrt eked and thrown on the coast near the Ca
liph's Court, while on his way to a pearl fishery, sus-
tains the principal portion of the underplot. and keeps
the house in a continued roar of laughter. Some of the
scenes, and particularly the one where Arnie and the
perishing camel are discovered in the endless desert, are
very splendid. Indeed, the whole arrangt merits reflect
the greatest credit oil the naanagetnent, and we venture
to predict a lung and successful run for this gargeous
and interesting spectacle. The evenings entertainments
were concluded with the laughable afterpicce of For-,
tune's Frolic.