A wonderful observation for your imagination from ‘Passages from Arabia Deserta’ C.M. Doherty
Selected by Edward Garnett

“…These were three long-haired beduins that bid us salaam (peace); and a fourth shock haired cyclops of the desert, whom the fleetness of their mares had outstripped, trotted in after them, uncouthly seated upon the rawbone narrow withers of his dromedary, without saddle, without bridle, and only as an herdsman driving her with his voice and camel stick.

His fellows rode with naked legs and unshod upon their beautiful mares’ bare backs, halter in one hand, and long balanced lance, wavering upon the shoulder, in the other. We should think them sprawling riders; for a boast or warlike exercise, in the presence of our armed company, they let us view how fairly they could ride a career and turn; striking back heels and seated low, with pressed thighs, they parted at a hand- gallop, made a tourney or two easily on the plain; and now wheeling wide, they betook themselves down in the desert, every man bearing and handling his spear as at point to strike a foeman; so fetching a compass and we marching, they a little out of breath came gallantly again. Under the most ragged of these riders was a very perfect young and startling chestnut mare, – so shapely there are only few among them. Never combed by her rude master, but all shining beautiful and gentle of herself, she seemed a darling life upon the savage soil not worthy of her gracious pasterns: the strutting tail flowed down even to the ground, and the mane (orfa) was shed by the loving nurture of her mother nature.’
*In the summer of 1875 Doughty had journeyed through Edom to Petra – E.G.