Chapter IX: Introduction (6)

As with them the horse is constantly fastened by hobbles, the Arabs do not understand the value of the halter which we employ. They replace it by a _goulada_, a thick cord of silk or camel's hair, of a more or less lively colour according to the coat of the animal. It is passed round the neck, and from it are suspended small morocco sachets, inclosing talismans that have the virtue of preserving from the evil eye, of averting sickness, and of bringing success in war. This _goulada_ is, in the first place, an ornament, and, besides, it serves to hold the horse by, when required. To take him by the forelock to hold or lead him, as we do, is to dishonour him; for the Prophet has said: "The good things of this world to the day of the last judgment shall be suspended from the hairs that are between the eyes of your horses."

The Arabs of the Sahara make use of a whip to correct a horse when they are breaking him in, or to excite him in war or at the chace. It is composed of five or six twisted leather thongs, attached to a ring fixed to a bar of iron six or seven inches long, terminating in another ring. To the latter is fastened the small leather thong that is slipped over the wrist. Round the iron rod, but shorter by an inch, is a hollow cylinder, also of iron, of a diameter that allows the rod to play easily within it. The whip is used with all their might. It punishes so severely that after a time it suffices to shake it in order to make the animal dash forward at full speed—the noise made by the cylinder coming in contact either with the rings or with the bar that connects them, recalling to his memory the nearly similar sound of the _tekerbeâa_.

In the desert the Arabs carry from the _kerbouss_ of the saddle a club a cubit in length, and terminating in a large knob garnished with spikes. It is hung from the wrist by a leather thong. Some replace this by a longer club terminating in a hook, for the purpose of picking up booty from off the ground, without alighting from the saddle. The latter is called _el aâraya_, or the despoiler. Neither the Arbâ nor the Harrars would ever mount on horseback without one of these clubs.

The spurs have only one spike, and are clumsy, solid, and long. They are kept in their place by a simple leather strap crossed, and are attached very loosely.

Every Arab carries as a complement of his equipment, suspended from the _kerbouss_ of his saddle, a kind of sabretache called _djebira_ or _guerab_. It contains several compartments, for the purpose of carrying bread, biscuit, a mirror, soap, cartridges, shoes, a flint, writing materials, etc., etc., according to the calling of the owner. Some _djebiras_ are extraordinary rich. I am convinced that the sabretaches of our Hussars must have come to us from the East. The common people on an expedition carry also suspended from the troussequin of their saddle a kind of wallet, which they call _semmâte_. They are shorter than ours, so as not to irritate the animal's flanks.

With the exception of the great chiefs, the Arabs have no holsters to their saddles. They carry their pistols in their girdles, or in a heart-shaped case that rests on the left side, and is held in its place by a leather strap over the shoulder and another round the body. They prefer this latter mode, because they are sure of having them on their person if they chance to be separated from their horse.

Those who do not put a throat-band to their bridle generally adorn their horses with boar's tusks or lion's teeth, or with talismans which they attach to their necks by means of silk or woollen cords.

To our taste, the less covered a thoroughbred horse may be, the better are the beauty and elegance of his form displayed. The Arabs think differently. They say:

Kohol[51] embellishes the bearer of babes,
A tribe embellishes a defile,
And the saddle embellishes horses.

During my residence in Africa, I have seen so many horses that it was impossible to dispose of when girt with an English saddle, bought up with avidity when caparisoned with an Arab one, that I am much inclined to adopt the native prejudice. Many a time also I have observed that when an Arab, who had purchased a horse from an European, had covered its back with his own saddle, the vendor was seized with regret, being struck with a beauty he had never before noticed. It is true, the only extravagance indulged in by the Arabs is in their harness; for the Prophet, while proscribing the use of gold in their garments, authorised and even enjoined it, in respect of arms and horses. He said: "Whoso fears not to spend money on the maintenance of horses for the holy war, shall be considered, after his death, as the equal of him who has always been open-handed." It is therefore no uncommon sight to see, even in these times of trouble and misery, an Arab chief treat himself to a saddle worth from £80 to £120, and on days of feasting or on solemn occasions, cover the croup of his horse with _shelil_, a silken stuff of brilliant hues.

MAXIMS OF THE ARAB CAVALIER.

When thou mountest a horse, first pronounce these words: _Bi es-sem Allah_, "in the name of Allah." The grave of the horseman is always open.

The cavalier of Truth should eat little, and, above all, drink little. If he cannot endure thirst, he will never make a warrior—he is nothing but a frog of the marshes.

Purchase a good horse. If thou pursuest, thou attainest: if thou art pursued, the eye presently knoweth not where thou hast passed.

Prefer a horse from the mountain to a horse from the plain, and the latter to one from the marshland, which is only fit to carry the pack-saddle.

For the combat mount a horse with a trailing tail [that is, one at least eight years old]. In the day when the horsemen shall be so crowded together that the stirrups knock against one another, he will save thee from the thick of the fight and bear thee back to thy tent, though he were pierced by a ball.

When thou hast purchased a horse, study him carefully, and give him barley more and more every day until thou hast ascertained the quantity demanded by his appetite. A good horseman ought to know the measure of barley suited to his horse, as exactly as the measure of powder suited to his gun.

Suffer neither dogs nor donkeys to lie down upon the straw or barley you intend to give to your horses.

The Prophet has said: "Every grain of barley given to your horses shall secure you an indulgence in the other world."

Give barley to your horses; deprive yourself to give them still more; for Sidi-Hamed-ben-Youssouf has remarked; "Had I not seen the mare produce the foal, I should have said it was the barley." He has also said: "Superior to spurs there is nothing but barley."

Do not water your horses more than once a day, at one or two in the afternoon; and give barley only in the evening, at sunset. It is a good practice in wartime, and, besides, it is the way to make their flesh firm and hard.

To train a horse that is too fat for the fatigues of war, reduce him by exercise, but never by lowering his keep.

So long as your horse, when at work, sweats over his whole body, you may say that he is not in good wind. But you may count upon him as soon as he sweats only on the ears and chest.

Leave not thy horse near others that are eating barley, without he has some likewise, for otherwise he will fall ill.

Never water your horse after having given him barley. It would be the death of the animal.

Never give water to a horse after a rapid gallop, for here is danger of checked perspiration.

After a rapid gallop, water him with the bridle on, and feed him with the saddle-girth on, and thou wilt not repent of it.

Be clean, and perform your ablutions before mounting your horse, and the Prophet will love you.

Whoso is guilty of an impropriety on the back of his horse is not worthy to own him. Moreover, he will suffer for it, for his horse will do himself a hurt.

Never fall asleep upon thy horse. The sleep of the rider wounds or wearies the animal.

When you put a horse to his speed, husband his strength for the time of need. He must be treated like a goat-skin water-bag, which if you open gradually, keeping the neck nearly closed, you will easily preserve the water. But if you open it hastily, the water will rush out all at once, and not a drop will remain to quench your thirst.

A horseman should never urge his horse to full speed, while going up or down hill, unless he is forced to do so. He ought, on the contrary, to hold him in.

"Which dost thou prefer?" the horse was asked one day, "The getting on, or the getting off thy back?" And he made answer: "Allah curse the point where they meet!"

When you have a long journey to accomplish, relieve your horse by changing his pace, to enable him to recover his wind. Repeat this until he has sweated and dried three times, then shift his girth, and afterwards do what you will with him. He will never fail you in a difficulty.

If, on a march, you have a strong wind right in your teeth, contrive if possible to save your horse from facing it—you will spare him various diseases.

If at the bivouac your horse is so placed that he cannot move out of the wind that is blowing violently into his nostrils, do not hesitate to leave the nose-bag suspended from his nose—you will preserve him from serious mischief.

If you have put your horse to the gallop and other mounted men are following behind, soothe him, do not urge him on, for he will be sufficiently excited of himself.

If you are chasing an enemy and he commits the error of pushing his horse on, hold in your own—you are sure to overtake the fugitive.

Never strike a thoroughbred. It humiliates him, and his pride will revolt and urge him to resistance. It is quite sufficient to correct or animate him by word or gesture.

If, after having wandered a long time in the mountains and by narrow path-ways, the horseman descends into the plain, it is good to give the animal a gallop over a short distance.

At starting the rider should not scruple to play with his horse for a few minutes, as he will thereby relax his joints, and assure himself peace for the rest of the day. In like manner, after a painful and fatiguing excursion, at the moment he reaches his tent let him perform the fantasia for a while. The women of the _douar_ will applaud, saying: "Look at so-and-so, son of so-and-so!" and he will find out, besides, what his horse is really worth.

The rider who does not teach his horse a good pace is no true horseman, but an object of pity.

If, in war time or in hunting, your horse is in a lather, and you happen to come across a stream, have no fear of allowing him to swallow half a dozen mouthfuls with the bridle on. So far from doing him any harm it will enable him to continue his course.

When you dismount think of your horse before thinking of yourself. It is he who has carried you, and is to carry you again.

After a long journey, either unsaddle your horse immediately and throw cold water over his back, at the same time leading him up and down; or else leave the saddle on until he is perfectly dry and has eaten his barley. There is no middle path between these two courses.

When after a long journey in winter, through rain and cold, you at length regain your tent, cover your horse well, and give him parched barley and warmed milk, but do not let him have any water that day.

Suffer not your horse to have anything to eat or drink directly after a journey of unusual length, or you will produce inflammation.

Put not your horses to speed, unless positively compelled to do so, during the great heats of summer. The animal himself says:

Put me not to speed in the summer,
If thou would'st that I should one day save thee from the sabre.

In a case of life or death if you feel your horse's wind failing, take off the bridle if only for an instant, and strike him on the croup with a spur sharply enough to draw blood.

If after a rapid gallop you are able to give a little respite to your horse, you will know when to start again by the drying up of the mucus that issues from his nostrils.

If you would know, at the end of a day of excessive fatigue and hard riding, how far you can yet depend upon your horse, get off his back and pull him strongly towards you by the tail. If he remains unmoved as if rooted to the ground, you may still rely upon him.

On an expedition when, after great fatigue, you have only a moment for repose, take for your pillow some of the bridles of your brethren, and you will not be abandoned or forgotten, happen what may.

A horseman ought to study the habits of his horse and obtain a thorough knowledge of his character. He will then know whether, when he alights, he can have any confidence in him and can leave him in the midst of other animals, or whether he must keep an eye upon him and hobble him. Not one of these details is a matter of indifference in the presence of an enemy.

The proper season for calling on a horse to do great things, is the spring, before the great heats; or the autumn, before the intense cold.

The horse is what his work is.

Yes, give the heel to your steeds,
Learn and teach them what will be of service to you.
In this world it is certain that, one day or another,
Every man has to face him who demands his life.

REMARKS BY THE EMIR ABD-EL-KADER.

The Arabs have preserved the practice of racing their horses against one another, in which they indulged so far back as in the times of idolatry, prior to Mohammed. The new law has in no way altered this usage. On the contrary it has consecrated its lawfulness, and, by impressing it with the seal of religion, has attached additional importance to it.

For racing, the Arabs subject their horses to a preparatory regimen, which is called _tadmir_, or training. Thank to this treatment, a horse acquires a wonderful speed. The _tadmir_ is in this wise.

They begin by increasing the animal's allowance of food, so that he gains fat to a perceptible degree. When this result has been attained, they begin to reduce his condition by gradually diminishing his rations for forty days, until they have reached the minimum of nourishment. During these forty days, they subject him to progressive exercise. At the same time, and from the very first day from lowering his keep, they cover the animal with seven _djellale_, or horse-cloths, one of which they remove every six days. The sweating disperses all the fat, gets rid of a useless weight, gives tone to the muscles, and leaves nothing but hard flesh. By means of this treatment, a horse attains, according to the stock he comes from, the highest degree of speed. Thus prepared, the horse is brought on to the _djalba_ or race ground.

Horses arriving from all districts are led on to the _djalba_, and crowds of people likewise flock thither. At no other time, except at the period of the assemblage of pilgrims, is such a concourse of men to be seen, and all the nobles and chiefs are present.

"We have taken part in the races, and, although it was yet early, the crowd was as great as at the period of pilgrimages."

Horses properly trained are never suffered to run against those that are not. They are placed in different classes, to each of which a different goal is assigned. The trained horses have much the longest course to run. The race-course in this case in called _el midmar_, and upon this the learned Bokhari has remarked:

"The Prophet caused the trained horses to run by themselves, and fixed a distance of seven miles to traverse, while for ordinary horses he fixed a distance of only three miles."[52]

The horses are grouped together by tens, but before allowing them to start and to prevent false starts, the following precaution is taken. A rope is stretched across touching the animals' chests, the two ends of which are held by two men. This rope is called _el mikbad_, and _el mikouas_; and in reference to it the Prophet said: "The horse runs according to his race, but placed before the _mikouas_ he runs according to his chance of a rider." Or, in other words: "In ordinary circumstances the speed of horses depends on the qualities of blood with which they are more or less endowed; but in a race success depends greatly on the skill of the rider, and not unfrequently a horse of the purest blood may be outstripped by a less noble animal." To each of the ten horses that have contended, a name is assigned indicative of his degree of swiftness. Thus the one that arrives first at the goal is called _Modjalla_, "taking away," because he takes away care from the heart of his master. The second is named _el Mousalli_, from the word _salouan_, "the extremity of the buttocks," because he follows the first so closely that the point of his nose touches the other's hindquarters. "I must positively be the _mousalli_, [that is, the second] if I consent to thy carrying off the first prize." The third receives the surname of _el Msali_, "Consoling," because he consoles his master, who is content that there is only one horse between his own and the winner. The fourth is _el Tali_, or "the Follower;" the fifth _el Mourtah_, "the fifth finger of the hand;" the sixth _el Aâtif_; the seventh _el Hadi_, "the Lucky one," because he has his share of success with the foremost; the eighth, _el Mouhammil_, "one who gives hopes," because he caused his master to hope that he might be among the winners; the ninth, _el Lathim_, or "the Buffeted," because he has been humiliated and rejected on all sides; and the tenth, _el Sokeït_, "the Taciturn," because his master undergoes the lowest humiliation without uttering a word—shame closing his mouth. Of these ten horses seven gain a prize, but the others obtain nothing. At the further end of the course a vast tent is pitched, into which the seven winners are admitted in order to shelter them, while the three others are ignominiously driven away.

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE CLEMENT AND MERCIFUL.

"We took part in the horse races. Though it was early morning the crowd was as dense as at the season of pilgrimage.

"Horses were brought from every quarter, but no one knows better than ourselves how to rear and train them.

"We arrived at the peep of day with horses whose hoofs were as hollow as cups. The stars had announced good fortune to them.

"They are drawn up according to the purity of their race. The noble is placed by the side of the noble.

"Among them is a black horse with robust limbs and adorned with a white mark on his forehead. When he feels the bit in his mouth, he dashes off, clearing the lines traced to indicate the goal.

"The star that shines on his forehead equals the brilliancy of Mirzam.[53]

"Then a dark bay with a black mane, endowed by nature with admirable qualities, with a sleek skin, bearing also a star on his forehead, and a white mark on the upper lip.

"Next a horse completely black without a white spot anywhere, but participating in the excellent qualities of the preceding.

"They have been brought to excite the admiration of the spectators, impatient to see them appear in the lists.

"Horsemen mount them, hardy as bars of iron and short of stature. Their voice is like the roaring of the lion.

"Seated on their coursers they look like starlings hovering over the table-land of a mountain.

"At last they draw up in line. In the midst of the assembly of spectators, a man, a Mussulman like the others, sits in the capacity of umpire. He has been chosen by common accord as arbiter, and surely his awards will not be tainted with partiality.

"The steeds let loose in the arena disperse immediately like pearls that fall from a necklace, or like a covey of _ketâa_ (gray partridges) discovered by a falcon that swoops down upon them, attacking them with fury.

"The black, with a white mark on the forehead, comes in first.

"The bay with the dark mane is second, and the entirely black is without reproach, for he runs in third.

The _Tali_ is the fourth, and follows the others. But how far is the inhabitant of the Tahama from the inhabitant of Nedjed!

The fifth, _el Mourtah_, is not to be blamed, for he has done as well as he could do.

The _Aâtif_ is the sixth. He comes in all trembling, and his fear well nigh stopped him in mid-career.

"The seventh is the _Hadi_. The awarder of prizes will give unto him his due.

"The _Mouhammil_, who gave such hopes to his master, has come in the eighth. He was mistaken. The unfortunate one encountered on his path the bird of ill omen. He suffered seven horses to pass before him and ran in the eighth—but the eighth horse is not one of the winners.

"The ninth arrives at last. He is the _Lathim_, the buffeted one, and receives blows from every one.

"On his traces follows, capering about, the _Sokeït_, the Silent one, with trouble in his face and humiliation on his forehead. The horseman who rides him at the tail of the others is the object of reproaches from all sides, and still more so his groom. It is of little use to ask who is his master,—no answer is to be had from those whom shame has made dumb.

"Whoso does not take to the race-course the horses that are most noble by birth ought to repent of it.

"In being present we have experienced the greatest gratification, without speaking of the glory and advantages we have carried off.

"In exchange for the seven reeds planted at the end of the course and carried off by the first seven as they arrived, we have received magnificent presents, such as it is seemly to offer.

"Striped calico from Yemen, dyed of various colours, and _haïks_ of silk and of wool.

"We carried off all these stuffs spread out over our horses, with borders red as blood.

"In addition to all this they gave us silver coins by thousands, but this silver we never keep for ourselves. We distribute it among the servants who tend our horses, though we ourselves tend these with our own hands far more carefully than they do.

"These are horses that never drink any but the purest water, and never feed on any but the choicest food.

* * * * *

The Mussulman law distinguishes three ways of offering prizes for horse racing. The first is positively permitted, the second is so conditionally, and the third is utterly prohibited. In the first case, some one entirely without interest in the result of the race offers a prize, saying: "Whoever shall be victor in the race shall gain the prize." Kings, chiefs, and great personages whose rank or fortune places them in an exalted position, sometimes propose prizes in this manner, which is sanctioned without any condition. In the second case, an individual interested in the race, says: "I offer a prize which shall be given to the one first in." This mode is allowed, with the condition that if the donor himself is the first to arrive at the goal, the prize shall be given to the assembly. The third manner is that by which every one interested in the race offers a prize for the benefit of him by whom he is beaten. This style of racing is nothing more than a wager, and consequently is absolutely forbidden. Much more is betting by persons not concerned in the race formally prohibited.

ABD-EL-KADER ON THE ARAB HORSE.

Having known the Emir Abd-el-Kader during the time I held the office of French Consul at Mascara, from 1837 to 1839, and having again met him at Toulon in 1847, whither I had been ordered on special duty at the time of his first landing in France, I had full opportunity in my numerous interviews with him to appreciate his intimate acquaintance with all that related to the history of his country, as well as to all questions of horse-flesh. I did not hesitate, therefore, to ask his opinion on a subject of a purely scientific nature, which may nevertheless be of great moment, not only for the future interests of our colony, but for those of the country at large. The following is his reply, written under date of the 8th November, 1851.

Glory to the one God, whose reign alone endureth for ever!

Peace be with him who equals in good qualities all the men of his time, who aims only at what is good, whose heart is pure and his word abiding, the wise, the intelligent, the Lord General Daumas, on the part of your friend Sid-el-Hadj Abd-el-Kader, son of Mahhi-Eddin.

Behold the reply to your inquiries:—

1st. You ask me how many days an Arab horse can march without rest and without suffering too severely. Know, then, that a horse sound in every limb, that eats as much barley as his stomach can contain, can do whatever his rider can ask of him. For this reason the Arabs say: "Give barley and over-work him." But without tasking him overmuch, a horse can be made to do sixteen parasangs day after day.[54] It is the distance from Mascara to Koudiat-Aghelizan on the Oued-Mina; it has been measured in cubits. A horse performing this journey every day, and having as much barley as it likes to eat, can go on, without fatigue, for three or four months, without lying by a single day.

2nd. You ask me what distance a horse can accomplish in a day. I cannot tell you very precisely, but it ought to be about fifty parasangs, or the distance from Tlemcen to Mascara. However, an animal that has performed such a journey ought to be carefully ridden on the following day, and allowed to do only a very much shorter distance. Most of our horses used to go from Oran to Mascara in a single day, and could repeat the journey for two or three consecutive days. On one occasion we started from Saïda about eight in the morning to fall upon the Arbâa, who were encamped at Aaïn-Toukria, among the Oulad-Aïad near Taza, and we came up with them at break of day.

3rd. You ask for examples of the temperance of the Arab horse, and for proofs of his power of enduring hunger and thirst. Know that when we were established at the mouth of the Melouïa, we used to make razzias into the Djebel-Amour, following the route of the Sahara, and on the day of attack pushing forward at the gallop for five or six hours at a stretch—the entire expedition, going and returning, being completed in twenty to twenty-five days at the outside. During this space of time our horses had no barley except what they carried with them, about enough for eight ordinary feeds. Nor did they find straw, or anything except the _alfa_ and _shiehh_, and grass in the spring time. And yet, on rejoining our people, we performed the fantasia on our horses, and some among us burnt powder. Many, too, who were not fresh enough for the latter exercise, were quite able to go upon an expedition. Our horses would go a day or two without water, and once they found none for three days. The horses of the Sahara do far more than that, for they go three months without touching a grain of barley. Straw they meet with only when they go to the Tell to buy grain, and for the most part feed on the _alfa_, the _shiehh_, and sometimes the _guetof_. The _shiehh_ is better than the _alfa_, but not so good as the _guetof_. The Arabs say:

The _alfa_ is good for marching,
The _shiehh_ is good for fighting,
And the _guetof_ is superior to barley.

In certain years the horses of the Sahara have gone the whole twelve months without a grain of barley to eat, especially when the tribes have not been suffered to enter the Tell. At such times the Arabs give dates to their horses, which is a fattening food, and keeps them in condition for marching or fighting.

4th. You ask why, seeing the French do not mount their horses before they are four years old, the Arabs mount theirs at a very early age. Know that the Arabs say that horses, like men, are more easily taught when quite young. They have a proverb:

The lessons of infancy are engraved upon stone,
The lessons of ripe age pass away like birds' nests.

They likewise say:

The young branch is made straight without much trouble,
But the old wood can never be straightened.

In the very first year, the Arabs teach the colt to let itself be led by the _reseum_, a species of cavesson. They call it then _djeda_, and begin to fasten and bridle it. As soon as it has become _teni_, that is, as soon as it has entered on its second year, they ride it a mile or two, or even a parasang, and after it has completed eighteen months they do not fear to fatigue it. When it has become _rebâa telata_, that is, when it has entered on its third year, they tie it up, cease to ride it, cover it with a good _djellal_, and get it into condition. They say:

In his first year, tie him up lest he should meet with an accident;
In his second year, ride him until his back bends;
In his third year, again tie him up, and after that, if he does not
suit you, sell him.

If a horse is not ridden before his third year, it is certain that he will never be good for anything but to gallop, which he does not need to learn, as it is his nature to do so: an idea thus expressed by the Arabs: "The noble horse gallops according to his race"—that is, a thoroughbred horse has no occasion to be taught to gallop.

5th. You ask me how it is, seeing that the foal derives more qualities from its sire than from its dam, that mares are always higher priced than horses. The reason is this. He who buys a mare does so with the expectation that he will not only be able to make use of her for the saddle, but will also obtain from her a numerous stock; while he who buys a horse cannot hope to get any other advantage out of him than by riding him.

6th. You ask me if the Arabs of the Sahara keep registers to establish the descent of their horses. Know that the inhabitants of the Algerian Sahara do not, any more than those of the Tell, concern themselves with these registers. The notoriety of the fact suffices them; for pedigree of their blood horses is as well known to every one as that of their masters. I have heard it said that some families possessed these written genealogies, but I cannot answer for the fact. Such books, however, are kept in the East.

7th. You ask me which are the tribes of Algeria the most renowned for the pure breed of their horses. Know that the best horses of the Sahara are unquestionably those of Hamyân. They possess none but excellent animals, because they never employ them to till the ground, or as beasts of burden. They employ them solely on expeditions and in battle. These are superior to all others in endurance of hunger, thirst, and fatigue. Next in order come the horses of the Harar, the Arbâa, and the Oulad-Naïl. In the Tell, the horses in the first rank for nobility of race, for height and beauty of mould, are those of the Shelif, especially those of the Oulad-Sidi-Ben-Abd-Allah, near the Mina, and those of the Oulad-Sidi-Hassan, a section of the Oulad-Sidi-Dahhou, who dwell in the highlands of Mascara. The fleetest in the race-course, and at the same time of a beautiful shape, are those of the Flittas, the Oulad-Sherif, and the Oulad-Lekreud. The best for traversing stony ground, without being shod, are those of the Hassasna in the Yakoubia. The following words are ascribed to Mulay-Ishmael, the celebrated Sultan of Morocco.

May my horse have been reared in the Mâz,
And watered in the Biaz.

The Mâz is a district of the Hassasna, and the Biaz is the stream known by the name of Foufet, that flows through their territory. The horses of the Oulad-Khaled are also famous for the same qualities. In reference to this tribe Sidi-Ahmed-Ben-Youssel has said: "The long locks and the long _djellals_ will lie seen in the midst of you to the day of the resurrection," thus eulogising their women and their horses.

8th. You say that people maintain against you that the horses of Algeria are not Arabs but Barbs. It is a theory that turns against its own authors, for the Barbs were originally Arabs. A well-known writer has said: "The Berbers inhabit the Mogheb. They are all sons of Kaïs-Ben-Ghilan. It is likewise stated that they spring from two great Hemiarite tribes, the Senahdja and the Kettama, who came into the country at the time of the invasion of Ifrikesh El Malik." According to both these opinions, the Berbers are decidedly Arabs. Historians, moreover, establish the descent of most of the Berber tribes from the Senahdja and the Kettama. The arrival of these tribes was anterior to Islam. Since the Mussulman invasion the number of Arabs who have emigrated into the Mogheb is beyond computation. When the Obeïdin [the Fatimites] were masters of Egypt, immense tribes passed into Africa, among others the Riahh, and spread themselves from Kaïrouan to Merrakesh [Morocco]. It is from these tribes that are descended the Algerian tribes of the Douaouda, the Aïad, the Mâdid, the Oulad-Mahdi, the Oulad-Iakoub-Zerara, the Djendel, the Attaf, the Hamïs, the Braze, the Sbeha, the Flittas, the Medjahar, the Mehal, the Beni-Aâmer, the Hamian, and many more. Without doubt the Arab horses were dispersed through the Mogheb in like manner with the Arab families. At the time of Ifrikesh-ben-Kaïf, the empire of the Arabs was all powerful. It extended as far west as the confines of the Mogheb, just as in the time of Shamar the Hemiarite it extended eastward to the frontiers of China, as it is related by Ben-Kouteïba in his book entitled "El Marif."

It is quite true, however, that although the Algerian horses come of Arab stock, many have degenerated from their nobleness from being employed much too often in the plough, in carrying and drawing heavy loads, and in other kinds of labour, and from other causes which did not exist among the Arabs of the olden times. It is sufficient, they say, for a horse to have walked over ploughed land to lose something of his excellence, and by way of illustration they relate the following anecdote:

"A man was riding one day, mounted on a thoroughbred, when he met his enemy also mounted on a noble courser. The one turned and fled, while the other gave chace. The latter was distanced, and despairing to overtake the former, cried out to him:

"I demand of thee in the name of Allah, has thy horse ever been in the plough?"

"He has ploughed for four days."

"Ah! mine has never been in the plough. By the head of the Prophet, I am certain to overtake thee."

"He then followed up the pursuit and towards the end of the day the pursued began to lose ground and the pursuer to gain upon him. At last the latter succeeded in coming up with and combating him whom he had at first despaired of overtaking."

"My father—Allah be merciful to him!—was in the habit of saying: 'There was no blessing for our land since we converted our coursers into beasts of burden and tillage. Did not Allah create the horse for riding, the ox for the plough, and the camel for the transport of burdens? There is nothing to be gained by changing the ways of Allah.'"

9th. You ask me further what is our practice with regard to the keep and maintenance of our horses. Know that the master of a horse gives him very little barley to begin with, and goes on increasing the quantity little by little, until he fails to consume it all, when the quantity is reduced and afterwards maintained at the exact measure of his appetite. The best time of day for giving barley is the evening. Unless on a journey, it is useless to give it in the morning. The best way is to give it to the horse saddled and girthed, just as the best way of watering him is with the bridle on. There is a saying.

Water with the bridle,
And barley with the saddle.

The Arabs greatly prefer a horse that eats little, provided he does not lose strength. Such a one, say they, is a priceless treasure. To water a horse at sunrise, makes him lose flesh. To water him in the evening, puts him into good condition. To water him in the middle of the day, keeps him as he is. During the great heats which last for forty days, the Arabs water their horses only every second day: a custom, they assert, attended with beneficial effects. In summer, autumn, and winter they throw an armful of straw to their horses; but the substance of their keep is barley, in preference to every other kind of food. They say: "Had we not seen that horses come from horses, we should have said that it is the barley that produces them." Again:

"Of forbidden flesh, choose the lightest," that is, choose a horse that is light and nimble—horse-flesh being forbidden to Mussulmans.

"No one becomes a horseman until he has been often thrown."

"Thoroughbred horses have no vice."

"A horse in a leading-string is an honour to his master."

"Horses are birds without wings."

"No distance is far for a horse."

"Whoso forgets the beauty of horses for that of women will never prosper."

"Horses know their riders."

The pious Ben-el-Abbas—Allah be good to him!—hath said:

Love horses and take care of them,
Spare no trouble;
By them comes honour, by them comes beauty.
If horses are forsaken of men,
I will receive them into my family,
I will share with them the bread of my children;
My wives clothe them with their veils,
And cover themselves with the horse-cloths;
I ride them every day
Over the field of adventures;
Carried away in their impetuous career
I combat the most valiant.

I have finished the letter which our brother and companion, the friend of all men, the Commandant Sidi-Bou-Senna [Boissonnet], will cause to be delivered into your hands. Peace!

THE WAR HORSE.

AN ARAB CHAUNT.

My steed is black as a night without moon or stars;
He was foaled in vast solitudes;
He is an air-drinker, son of an air-drinker.
His dam also was of noble race,
And our horsemen of the days of powder have surnamed him Sabok.[55]
The lightning flash itself cannot overtake him:
Allah save him from the evil eye!

His ears vie with those of the gazelle,
His eyes are the eyes of a woman with wiles,
His forehead resembles that of a bull,
His nostrils the cavern of a lion.
His neck, shoulders, and croup are long,
He is broad in the seat, in the limbs and flanks,
He has the tail of a viper, the thighs of an ostrich,
And his vigorous heels are lifted above the ground.
I reckon upon him as upon my own heart.
Never has mortal mounted his equal.

His flesh is firmer than that of the zebra;
He has the short gallop of the fox,
The easy and prolonged running of the wolf;
He accomplishes in one day a five days' march;
And when he stretches out at full speed,
he strikes the girts with his hocks.
You would say that it was a dart hurled by fate,

Or a thirsty pigeon that precipitates itself
Upon the water preserved in the hollow of a rock.

Yes, Sabok is a war horse!
He loves the chace of savage animals,
He sighs only for glory and booty,
And the cries of our virgins excite his ardour.
When I urge him into the midst of dangers,
His neighing summons the vultures
And makes my enemies tremble;
On his back, death cannot overtake me,
It fears the sound of his hoofs.

Aâtika[56] said to me: "Come and be without a companion!"
Docile as the sabre one draws from the sheath,
Sabok hears my spurs, and divines my thoughts;
He cleaves through space like a falcon regaining its nest,
And when I arrive near her whose eyes are languishing,
Alone, in the midst of peril, patient and immovable,
He champs his bit until my return.
By the head of the Prophet, this horse is the resource of caravans,
The ornament of a tent, and the honour of my tribe.

I am an Arab. I know how to command and to combat,
My name protects the feeble and the afflicted,
My flocks are the reserve of the poor,
And the stranger in my tent is named The Welcome One.
The Almighty hath loaded me with his gifts,
But time turns upon itself, and turns back,
And if I must drink one day of the two cups of life,
I will show that adversity cannot humiliate my soul.
My virtue shall be resignation,
My fortune, contempt of riches,
My happiness, the hope of another life;
And if poverty were to grasp me by the throat,
I would not the less glorify Allah.

PART SECOND

THE MANNERS OF THE DESERT

THE EMIR ABD-EL-KADER ON THE HORSE.

It is certain that the Arabs are the most experienced horsemen in the world. They know a horse thoroughly and minutely, and can rear and train one better than any other people. It is also certain that the Arab horses are better than those of all other nations. A sufficient proof of this is that they always finish by overtaking the gazelle, the ostrich, and the wild ass, which they sometimes pursue to a great distance.

"He has chased the onager, the buffalo, and the ostrich, without once pulling up, and without a single drop of sweat moistening his coat."

The nature of the horses of the Sahara is a consequence of the life led by their masters. The Saharenes are obliged to accustom their horses to support hunger through the scarcity of food, and likewise thirst through the scarcity of water, which is frequently not to be found within a couple of day's march of the encampment. Endurance of fatigue and speed are the result of the countless quarrels of these Arabs, their incessant hostile excursions, and their fondness for the chace of the swiftest animals, such as the ostrich, the gazelle, and the wild ass, which some among them hunt the whole year round without interruption.

The Most High hath said: "Put on foot all the forces you can dispose of, and hold in readiness a large number of horses, to intimidate the enemies of Allah and your own, and yet others, whom you know not but who are known to Allah. Whatever you shall have expended in the service of Allah, shall be recompensed to you. You will not be forsaken."

And the Prophet never ceased to repeat:

"Whoso possesses an Arab horse and honours him, will be honoured of Allah."

"Whoso possesses an Arab horse and contemns him, will be contemned of Allah."

THE SAHARA

BY ABD-EL-KADER.

Glory to God alone!

O thou who takest up the defence of the _hader_[57]

And condemnest the love of the _bedoui_[58] for his boundless horizons!

Is it for their lightness that thou findest fault with our tents?

Hast thou no word of praise but for houses of wood and stone?

If thou knewest the secrets of the desert, thou wouldst think like me:

But thou art ignorant, and ignorance is the other of evil.

If thou hadst waked up in the middle of the Sahara,
If thy feet had trampled this carpet of sand,
Sprinkled with flowers like to pearls,
Thou wouldst have admired our plants,
The singular variety of their hues,
Their grace, their delicious perfume;

Thou wouldst have drawn in this balmy breath which
doubles life, for it has not passed over the impurity of
cities.

If, going out some splendid night,
Cooled by an abundant dew,
From the summit of a _merkeb_,[59]
Thou hadst cast thy eyes round thee,
Thou wouldst have seen far away and on all sides
troops of wild animals
Browsing the fragrant shrubs.
At that moment all care would have fled from before
thee.
Overflowing joy would have filled thy soul.

What a charm, too, in our hunting! At sunrise,
Through us every day brings terror to the savage
beast.
And the day of the _rahil_,[60] when our red _haouadjej_[61] are
fastened on our camels,
Thou wouldst have said that a field of anemones were
bedecking themselves, under the rain, with their richest
colours.

Upon our _haouadjej_ recline our virgins;
Their _taka_[62] are closed by houri eyes.
The conductors of their animals raise their shrill
chaunt;
The tone of their voice finds the door of the soul.

We, swift as the air, on our generous coursers,
The _shelils_[63] waving over their croups,
We give chace to the _houache_.[64]
We overtake the _ghezal_,[65] that fancies itself far from us.
It escapes not from our horses at full speed,
With thin flanks.
How many _delim_[66] with their females became our prey!
Although their running is not less rapid than the
flight of other birds.

We return to our families at the hour of halt,
On a new camping ground, free from pollution.
The earth exhales the odour of musk,[67]
But purer than it,
It has been cleansed by the rains
Of evening and morning.

We pitch our tents in circular groups;
The earth is covered with them, as is the firmament
with stars.
They of old time have said, who are no more, but our
fathers have repeated it,
And we say as they did, for truth is always truth:
Two things are beautiful in this world,
Beautiful verses and beautiful tents.

In the evening, our camels come up to us;
At night the voice of the male is heard like distant
thunder.

Light ships of the land,
Safer than ships,
For a ship is inconstant;
Our _maharis_[68] rival in speed the _maha_.[69]

And our horses—is there a glory like unto theirs?
Always saddled for the fight,
When any one invokes our aid,
They are the promise of victory.
Our enemies have no place of refuge against our blows,
For our coursers, celebrated by the Prophet,
swoop upon them like the vulture.

Our coursers have the purest milk to drink,
The milk of the camel, more precious than that of the cow.

Our first care is to divide the booty we have taken from the enemy.
Equity presides at the distribution.
Every one receives the due reward of his valour.

We have sold our rights of citizenship. We have no reason to regret
the bargain.
We have gained honour, of which the _hader_ knows nothing.
We are Kings. There is none to be compared with us.
Is it life to undergo humiliation?

We suffer not the insults of the unjust. We leave him and his land.
True happiness is in wandering life.

If contact with our neighbour annoys us, We withdraw from him—neither he, nor we, have anything to complain of.

What fault, then, hast thou to find with the _bedoui_? Nothing but his love of glory, and his liberality that knows no stint.

Under the tent, the fire of hospitality is kindled for the traveller. He finds, whoever he may be, a sure remedy against cold and hunger.

Ages have told of the salubrity of the Sahara. All disease and sickness dwell only beneath the roof of cities. In the Sahara, whoever is not reaped by the sword sees days without number; Our old men are the most aged of all men.

THE RAZZIA.

The most frequent and almost daily incident of Arab life is the _razzia_. Glory is a fine ting, no doubt, and in the Sahara hearts are as open to its fascination as elsewhere. But there, the idea of glory is to injure the enemy and destroy his resources, and at the same time augment one's own. Glory is not smoke, but plunder. The thirst for revenge is also a motive; but what vengeance is sweeter than to enrich oneself with the spoils of one's enemy? This threefold craving for glory, revenge, and plunder, could not possibly be gratified more promptly or efficaciously than by the _razzia_—the invasion by force or stratagem of the ground occupied by the foe, which contains all that is dear to him, his family and his fortune.

In the desert, there are three kinds of _razzia_. First of all there is the _tehha_ ["the falling," from the verb _tahh_, "it is fallen"], which takes place at the _fedjeur_, or dawn of day. In a _tehha_, the object is not pillage, but massacre: no thought is given to riches, but all to vengeance. The next is the _khrotefa_, which comes off at _el aasseur_, or two or three in the afternoon, and means nothing but rapine. And lastly, the _terbigue_, which is neither war, nor an affair of brigandage, but, at most, a thievish operation. The _terbigue_ is attempted at _nous el leïl_, or midnight. When a razzia is determined upon, those who propose to take part in it say to one another _Rana akeud_, "we are a knot." The enterprise is arranged, the association formed, and a compact concluded—compact of life and death.

THE TEHHA.

When a _tehha_ is contemplated, the sheikh issues orders to shoe the horses, to prepare food, and to provide a supply of barley for five or six days, more or less. These provisions are put into a _semmât_, or wallet, each taking his own. Previous to setting out, two or three mounted scouts are sent forward to reconnoitre the position of the enemy they propose to attack. The scouts are men of intelligence, well mounted, acquainted with the country, and circumspect. They take every precaution and make a great circuit, so that in the event of a surprise, they will appear from a quarter whence those whom they intend to assail are accustomed to see only friends appear. On arriving near to their destination, they place themselves in ambush, and one of them, separating from the band, penetrates on foot to the very heart of the _douar_, without exciting the slightest suspicion. As soon as they have obtained the necessary information respecting the numbers and disposition of the enemy, they retrace their steps and rejoin the _goum_, who await them at a spot previously agreed upon. Like the scouts they, too, have followed a path little calculated to inspire with apprehension those whom they propose to surprise. All necessary intelligence having been obtained, and the foe being now near at hand, it is arranged to fall upon him at the dawn of day, because at that hour they will find

The wife without her girdle,
And the mare without her bridle.