The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-08-22
I'he Arabian JIcrse.

The Arabian horse is, say his enc
mics, a horse Of single gait-the gai-
lop. In q sense this is true, and nat
urally. His masters, the Bedcuins,
abhor the tIot; moreover, the smooth
sandy reaches Of the desert invite 70
the gallop. But Arabs can be taught
to trot, though not to be high step
pers. Either walking or gallopiDg,
they are models of grace.
a word now as to breeds. There is
but one noble strain, the ku-hai-
Ian, almost innumerably sub divided.
There are, besides, the Allerbi and
Kadishi, ienobie drudges and hack
neys. but they are never classed as
Arabs. Though size varies indivi-
duaMy. there are neither pony nor big
breeds. Palgraye, Upton and Sir Will
frid Blunt agree that the average
height very nearly approaches fourteen
hands and two inches, falling under it
oftener than over it, Persian horses,
nearly allied tc the Arabs, are taller
witness Lylee, who cost his last own
er, Rdnject Singh, in the three wars
waged to obtain him, above II, 900 lives
and sixty lacs of rupees-that is, about
5000, 900. LyIee stood ali of fifteen
hands, wore gold bangles below his
knees, and had housings of gold firing.
ed cashmere shawls. But for all that
he was not Ku-hai-lan, so could not
have held his head high in the des-
ert.
A legend turks IN the name. It is
the corruption Of Kohlani and like
that means "the blakened." Unro-
mantle persons derive it from the
skin colol, a dark, slaty, grayisL
blue, whatever the coat; but there is
another derivation and one more beft-
ting 'the Daughters of the Stars -
Mohomet. says the legend, with IL, 600
mounted men. had fought INCREASINGLY
through three days and nights. the
men never leaving saddle, the mares
under them neither eating nor drink
ing. Victorious at last, the army
came to river bank, halted there,
unsaddled and loosed the mares, which
cushed madly to the water. Before they
could drink the trumpet sounded the
recall. In the 0.000, five were, found
taitht1l-Gfe vic came back TO the
standards, needless OF thi1s5. Mahc-
met himself welcomed them, blessed
them. and had tben: ano;nteG with
honl-wheaca Achlaui-ats though Shey
had beel plincesses o. tie blood.
Ever after they we're ridden by the
Prophet and his companions, ali.
Omar, Abubekr and Hassan, and from
them descends all Arabia's noble
blood. Since there were five of them,
the breed grand divisions are known
as Gal Khamisa, - or s:she ffve.''
But the romance of Arab pedigrees
goes beyond the time of the PROPHETS
mares. They themselves were de-
scended from the mares of Solomon
the great-mares given him by the
queen Of Sheba along with gold,
ivory, slaves and spices. Naturally
such strains are carefully guarded
Few of the Bedouins can read or
write, yet they make a point CT hang
ing inscribed pedigrees in little bags
around the necks Of their most famous
mares. They ride only mares. and have
proverb: Three Things are from
God: good wife. a good mare, good
sword - A trce Sun of the desert will
almost as readily think Of parting with
bis wife as with his mare Thus there
is a powerful reinforcement to the
Sultan's frman forbidding their ex-
portation.-Country Life in Amer
lea.