New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-11-15
0allantry of the Arabian Horses.

That horses should be susceptible to she
charms of the gentle sex, is no more tnah
might have been expected from tfelr nooie Dear
Ing and intelligence. Read the following ex-
tract from lady's letter written IN the East
fear you may deem me rather boastful OF
INV horsemanship when tell you the two Arab
horses which threw their cavaliers did not throw
me- The cause of the exception was not, how
ever. in me or my skill 1t was in the very re-
markable prediction those intelligent AMI
mails feel towards individuals of the weaker
seq. Let the widest, the iercest Arabian be
mounted by a woman, and you will see him
grow suddenly as mild and obedient as a lamb
I had plenty Of opportunities to make the expe-
riment and in my own stable there is beauti-
full gray Arab which nobody dares to ride,
though he is my daily bearer He knows me, my
wishes, the degree OF fatigue | can bear, without
inconvenience, and behaves in consequence.
1t is really curious to see him manage to
quicken his pace without shaking me, and the
different sort Of steps be has invented to real
ize these contradictory purposes. Horses are
as liable to forgetfulness as any other organized
being and my incompatible gray, sometimes
when other horses threaten to pass him, OIL
are once in advance, forgets every considera.
ton, and starts off, more like whirlwind thar
any thing else. Woe to me, if, under such Cir
cumstances, | were to confde in the strength Of
arm or of the bride. But | know better.
Leaving my hand quite loose, and abandoning
all thoughts Of compulsion, take to persua-
sion-pat him on the neck-call him by his own
name--beg him to be quiet, and to deserve the
piece of sugar waiting for him at home Never
have these means failed. Instantly will he
slackcn his pace, prick up his ears, and come
back to q sort of amble, while with a gentle
neigh he seems to crave my pardon for his mo-
mentary offence. Such instances of the tender
penchant of Arab horses for the weaker part of
creation, are quite common, and are generally
explained-not poetical explanation after all
by the circumstance that the Arab women
are the natural and only grooms of their lords
stables
When the horse is still colt, he is reared in
the back part of the tent, the movable harem
of the Arab. In the third year of his life, he
is raised to the honor of carrying his master,
and when he brings him home he is instantly
delivered to the women's hands, who wash his
eyes, walk him up and down till the foam is fall
len from his mouth and the perspiration from
his limbs. 1t is the masters wife that diseneum,
bers him of the heavy saddle, the complicated
and adorned bride, the embroidered and gilded
covering. She fastens a cord to his foot and
takes him first to drink, and then to feed him
self with the best bit of grass to be found in the
barren country.
This puts me in mind of story which was
related to me by Bedouin of Galilee, very fond
and very proud, not only of his own horses, but
of the whole Arabian breed. A young chief
had precious mare and plenty Of enemies.
Once he went to place three days distant from
his own residence to fetch some money that wat
due to him. His enemies were appraised of his
purpose, and determined to take him OF at least
kill him. Knowing, however, the swiftness OIL
Z his mare, they divided themselves in groups Of
ten persons, and took their stations at three
hours distance from each other. The first
group was to pursue him during three hours,
and when he thought himself safe, then the sec
ond group often would start and begin a fresh
raceE and SO on till his mare would fall from
exhaustion. All was done as they had design
ed, but the mare never gave way; the three
days distance was Travelled in day, and moro
than forty eight hours before he was expected
his old blind father, who sat smoking at the
entrance of his tent, recognized the we'll known
tramp of his sons mare.
g There is my son coming back said the old
man, and he had scarcely said the words ere his
son dismounted, and, throwing the reins to his
wife, laid his bag of gold dust at his fathers
feet. But the old man thought more of the
mare than of his son himself. Why did you
over fatigue the mare 7" exclaimed he, in re-
proachful voice &c bring her to me-" 1t was
done the old man patted her head and said,
quite angrily, :" There is blood all over her
mouth" And true it was The son explained,
that nearly driven to despair by the obstinate
chase of his enemies, he had hurried the mare,
or rather he had allowed her to hurry herself,
SO that her fore foot came in contact with her
mouth, and scratched it till it was all bleeding,
That night the travelling chief lay down upon
his cloak in corner of his tent, to rest himself
as well as he could, but women, young men,
slaves, and even EtTendis crowded around the
mare, giving her strengthening beverages and
rubbing her limbs with softening liniment; nor
was quiet restored to the tribe till the mare had
eaten again, and shown herself in full possession
of her limbs