The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-25 00:00:00

tillage, in retillage, in carrying, in drawing loads, &c.
because the mares have been subjected to the ass;
whereas, nothing of that sort was done among the
Arabs of cld. Oil this point they say that it is enough
for the horse, but to walk over tilled ground to make
him lose some of his merit.
The following story is told on the subject :—" A
man was travelling, mounted on a blood-horse. He
is met by his enemy, he also being mounted on a noble
courser. The one pursues the other, and he who
gives chase is distanced by him who flies. Des-
pairing to overtake him, the pursuer cries : I ask
thee in the name of God, has thy horse ever worked?'
He worked once for four days.' Good ; mine has
never worked; and, by the head of the Prophet, I am
certain to overtake thee.' "
Accordingly, he continues the pursuit. Towards
the close of the day, the fugitive begins to lose, and
the pursuer to gain ground. He soon contrives to
come up with, and to fight him whom he had des-
paired of catching.
My father (God have him in his mercy !) was wont
to say—" Nu more blessing is there on our country
since we have turned our war-horses into beasts of
burden and of tillage. Did not God make the horse
for the charge and the race, the ox for tillage, and the
camel for carrying loads ? There is no gain in
amending the ways of God."
9. What are our precepts for the nurture and
nourishment of our horses ?
Know that the owner of a horse gives him at first
but little barley, augmenting his ration by small
quantities, then diminishing it again a little as soon
as the animal leaves any, and finally maintaining the
allowance at that measure.

The best moment for giving barley is the evening.
Except on the road there is nothing to be gained by
giving any in the morning. The saying on this
head is—

" The barley of the morning is found on the dung-
hill ; the barley of the evening in the croup."
The best manner of giving the barley is to give it
to the horse saddled and girthed ; as the best manner
of watering him is to water him bridled. They say—
" Water with the bridle, barley with the saddle."
The Arabs, above all, prefer a horse that eats little,
provided he be not weakened in consequence. He is,
say they, " a treasure beyond price." To give a horse
drink at break of day makes him grow thin ; to give
it to him in the evening makes him grow fat; and to
give it to him in the middle of the day, keeps him in
his condition.
During the great heats, which last forty days
(sernaime), the Arabs water their horses only once
in two days ; and they aver that this practice has the
best effects. In summer, autumn, and winter, they
give an armful of straw to their horses ; but the chief
part of the food is barley, in preference to all other
substance. The Arabs have a saying—
"lt we had not seen that horses beget horses, we
should say that they were begot of barley."
Again—
" Buy the big horse, barley will make him swift."
"Of forbidden meats," say they, " choose the
lightest." That is to say, choose the lightest horse :
horse flesh is interdicted to the Mussulman.
Among their further proverbs are—
" A man becomes a good rider only by having his
bones broken repeatedly." " Thorough-bred horses
have no malice." " The horse trained is the master's
honour." "Horses are birds without wings." " There is
nothing distant to the horse." " Those who forget
the beauty of the horse for that of woman shall not
prosper." " The horse knows the horseman."
The holy Ben•el-Abbas (may God be pleased with
him) has also said :—" Love the horse, care for him,
spare not your pains," &c.
I have finished the letter of which our friend and
companion, the friend of every one, the Commander
Sid-Ban-Senna, will be the bearer. Health.
General Dautnas, to whom this remarkable epistle
was addressed, in reply to inquiries which it specifies,
remarks :—" The whole of this letter was written by
Abd-el-Kader with his own band ; the original is in
my possession, and is certified by the Chef
d'Eseadron Boissonnet, who has for three
years occupied with honour a difficult and delicate
position with regard to the Emir. It is to the
Commandant Boissonnet that I owe the translation of
this precious document.
(Signed) "LE GENERAL E. DAUMAS." I