The Horses of the Sahara and the Manners of the DesertDaumas, E. (Eugène)
History
The Horses of the Sahara and the Manners of the Desert
Daumas, E. (Eugène)
Arabian horse; Sahara
They understand these words, and with their hands before their eyes they
go forth from the cemetery, but at every step turn round to renew their
last adieus to him whom they will never again behold until the day of
judgment. The foregoing funeral oration is pronounced in the desert over
every grave. The monotony of habit is the handmaid of grandeur. If the
Arab manners are deficient in variety, they are at least solemn and
imposing.
FINIS.
-----
Footnote 1:
_Borak_ is the animal upon which Mohammed was mounted when he made his
journey through the heavens. It was like a mule, and was neither male
nor female.
Footnote 2:
It is distinguished by the size of the respiratory duct, which enables
it to accomplish fabulous journeys.
Footnote 3:
A kilogramme is equal to 2-1/5 lb., a hectogramme to rather more than
3-1/2 ozs, and a décagramme is the 100th part of a kilogramme.
Footnote 4:
I know for a fact that in certain Mussulman countries in the list of
obligatory presents for a Christian personage, the donor wrote down:
_Kidar ala Khrater er-Roumi_—"a jade for the Christian."
Footnote 5:
The eye of the Arab stirrup invariably produce exostoses on the front
part of the leg. By them you may distinguish at once the rich man from
the poor, the cavalier from the man on foot.
Footnote 6:
_Mebrouk_ is Arabic for "the fortunate one."
Footnote 7:
_Guebla_, the south, the Sahara, the desert.
Footnote 8:
_Djellals_ are woollen cloths more or less ornamented with designs
according to the wealth of the chief. They are very wide and extremely
warm, and cover both the chest and the croup.
Footnote 9:
Slaves from Kora are in great request among the Mussulmans. They learn
Arabic with great difficulty, but they are very attentive to their
duties, and much attached to their masters.
Footnote 10:
What the Arabs understand by the evil eye is this: Some one may say to
you: "Oh! what a beautiful horse, what a beautiful mare you have
there!" Fear the worst from such a one, for he has only spoken out of
envy. If he had meant it in real kindliness, he would not have failed
to have added: "Allah protect you, or grant you his blessing." It is
not every one, however, who has the evil eye.
Footnote 11:
Red and all the brilliant colours fall to the lot of good fortune, in
the eyes of the Arabs; while the sombre hues, and especially yellow,
indicate misfortune.
Footnote 12:
The Arabs consider as green the colour we call a deep yellow dun,
especially when it approaches to that of a ripening olive.
Footnote 13:
The Arabs call blue the horse of a grayish colour shot like a
starling's back.
Footnote 14:
It is a matter of luxury for the Arabs and especially for those of the
desert to possess balls made in moulds. For the most part they use
rods cut into small pieces.
Footnote 15:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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