Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-02-09

The Arab would have rejected the pro-
posal at once with indignation and scorn,
but he was miserably poor. He had no
means of supplying his most urgent wants,
or procuring the harest necessities of life.
Still be hesitated he had scarcely rag
10 cover him-and his wife and children
were starving. The sum offered was
great,-it would provide him and his fam
lily with food for life. AT length, and re-
luctantly, he consented. He brought the
mare to the dwelling of the ul,-he
dismounted, he stood leaning upon her,
he looked now at the gold, and then
his -favourte he sighed--he wept.
To whom is it, said he, am going to
yield thee up To Europeans, who will
tie thee close who will beat thee,-who
will render thee miserable. Return with
me, my beauty, my jewel, and rejoice the
hearts of my Children As he pronounc-
ed the last words, he sprung upon her
back, and was out of sight in moment"
The next anecdote is scarcely less
touching, and not so well known. Ibra-
him. poor but worthy Arab, unable to
pay sum of money which he owed, was
compelled to allow merchant Of Rama to
become partner with him in a valuable
mare. When the time came, he could
not redeem his pledge to this man, and
the mare was Sold Her pedigree could
be traced on the side of sire and dam for
full FIVE hundred years. The price was
three hundred pounds; an enormous sum
in that country. Ibrahim went frequent
ly to Rama TO inquire after the mare he
would embrace her,-wipe her eyes with
his handkerchief, rub her with his shirt
sleeves, and give her thousand bene-
dictions during whole hours that he re-
mAned talking to her. My eyes =
would he say TO her, my soul |! my heart
must be SO unfortunate as to have thee
sold TO so many masters, and not keep
thee myself! | am poor, my antelope !
brought thee uplin my dwelling as my
child. / did never beat nor chide thee; |
caressed thee in the proudest manner.
God preserve thee, my beloved thou art
beautiful, thou art sweet, thou art lovely
God defend thee from envious eyes
Sir John Malcolm gives two anecdotes
to the same purpose, but of more anus
ing nature.
"When the envoy, returning from his
former mission, was encamped near Bag9ad,
and Arab rode bright bay mare of extra
ordinary shape and beauty before his tent,
until he attracted his attention. On being
asked if he would sell her - What will you
give me?' was the reply; THAT depends
upon her age ] suppose she is past five p
= Guess again., said he, -Four p Look at
her mouth said the Arab, with smile. On,
examination she was found to be rising
three. This, from her size and symmetry,
greatly EXCHANGED her value. The envoy
said, i will give you fifty tomans,' Ia coin
nearly OF the value of pound sterling.) "A
little more, if you please said the fellow,
apparently entertained. Eighty. A hun
dred.' He shook his head and smiled. The
offer at last came to two hundred tomans
Well said the Arab, you need not tempt
me further lit is of no use. You are a rich
elchee .(nobleman.) You have fine horses
camels, and mules, and, am told, you have
loads of silver and gold. Now,' added he,
you want my mare, but you shall not have
her for all you have got
" An Arab sheick or chief, who lived
within fifty miles of Bussorah, had favour
lite breed of horses. Ho lost one of his best
mares, and could not for long while dis
cover whether she was stolen or had stray
ed. Some time after, young man of DIFF
ferent tribe, who had long wished to marry
his daughter, but had always been rejected
by the sheick, obtained the lady's consent
and eloped with her. The sheick and his
followers pursued, but the lover and his mis-
tress, mounted on one horse, made won
derful march and escaped. The old chief
swore that the fellow was either mounted
upon the devil or the favourite mare he had
lost. After his return, he found the latter
was the case; that the lover was the thief
of his mare as well as his daughter; and
that he stole the one to carry off the other.
The chief was quite gratified to think that
he had not been beaten by mare of anoth-
er breed; and was easily reconciled to the
young man, in order that he might recover
the mare, which appeared an object about
which he was more solicitous than about
his daughter"
One of our own countrymen, the enter
prising traveller, Major Denham, affords US
a pleasing instance of the attachment with
which the docllity and sagacity of the horse
may inspire the owner. He thus relates
the death Of his fayouiite Arabian, in one of
the most desert spots of Central Africa. His
feelings need no apology. We naturally
honour the man in whom true sensibilty and
undaunted courage, exerted for useful pur-
poses, were thus united.
"There are few situations in mans
life, in which losses of this nature are felt
most keenly and this was one of them. It
was not grief, but it was something very
nearly approaching to it, and though felt
ashamed Of the degree of arrangement
suffered from it, yet it was several days be-
fore could get over the loss. Let it, how
ever, be remembered, that the poor animal
had been my support and comfort,-nay,
may say, companion, through many dreary
day and night had endured both hunger
and thirst in nay service; and was SO doclle,
j that he would stand still for hours in the