The Placer herald., 1865-01-07
A Derby Day with the Arabs.

| In 'NfmSDvS s Autumn Rdlio'cS l" >oi'
Africa is the following about Arab racers:
Punctual to the announced time, the com
mandant, superior officers of the garrison
and some of the civil authorities of Con
Stamina rode across the course, aud took uT
their position opposite the stand. With
them came body of Arab grandees of suffi
cient Importance to be admitted within the
sacred circe-imposing figures in bernouses
Of every possible color, white, black, scarlet,
blue, puce, and some of them-magnates
from the Sahara-these in enormous straw
hats, three or four feet in diameter. covered
with black ostrich feathers, and screening
the head and shoulders rs completely as an
umbrella. Thanks to French organization,
there was no time lost in clearing the course;
it had been kept clear the whole time, even
the usual dog had not been allowed to set
foot on it; and Immediately on the arrival
Of the great people the starters for the first
race took their places at the post.
The Arab is the most reasonable horse in
the world; the moment he understands what
is expected of him, he accommodates him
self TO circumstances in the most wel.bred
way, and however mettlesome he may be,
does not fidget, bolt or caper, as his Europe
an cousin is ap. to at starting post. We
had ample opportunity, therefore, for study
ing the points of the horses. They we're five
Arabs of the ordinary stamp; four of them
dappled, of silver gray; the fifth, dark bay;
and this, by the way, is about the proportion
in which the colors are in general distribut-
ed, at leas. in Algeria For one bay, black,
brown or chestnut, there are three or four
whites or grays of one shade or another.
To an eye accustomed to European horse
flesh they would have looked, perhaps, at
the first glance, very like lot of screws
They had all bad quarters, very Indifferent
shoulders, and most of them were decidedly
ewe'necked-perhaps, in part, the effect of
the Arab bit, which has tendency to make
a horse throw up his head.
But when you came to examine them
closely you found undeniabe points about
them; legs as clean "as a whip" small blood
like ears, heads we'll set on, with deep jaws,
broad foreheads, and full, bright, restless
eyes, and altogether a look of gameness that
showed it was, at any rate, no plebeian ami
NAL you had before you. If the horses were
unlike what one would see on an English
of them were bareheaded and barefooted
and had nothing on except shirt and
pair of short, baggy trowsers. One vener-
able looking old fellow, however, sported
very fine plum colored silk waistcoat. At
the word Go" off they went in wild,
sputtering galop, every one Of them going
his hardest, without an idea of holding, or
nursing, or waiting, in mad tangle of men
and horses. But before they had got half
way around they were in Indian file, old
plum color leading by a good length, which
he afterwards increased to two, coming in
an easy winner. lie seemed to be kind of
about dozen races that day. lie certainly
won six or seven.
The moment the race was over, the next
starters were put up, and so on, with breath
less rapiditv, until we at last came to race
which was particularly anxious to see-
All the races up to this, with one exception,
had been for Arab horses exclusively, the
exception being a race for horses of Europe
an origin, owned by residents in the province,
which had been run by three very ordinary
looking nags. Now came race for all
corners, and was curious to see how the
Arab would come out against the European.
As far as that issue went it was very hol'
low affair. Three French horses started,
among them the winner of the last mentioned
race, and two Arabs. But though the Arabs
made all their running at first, they were
were soon collared and passed, and came in,
one Of them "nowhere," the other several
lengths behind the last Of the Frenchmen.
In fact, the popular notion about the speed
Of the Arab courser is, think, erroneous.
Great speed is not his strong point the
chances are that on an ordinary race'course
the best Arab iu the world would be beaten
easily by a very second rate English race
horse.