Note 84 — The Fourth Book.

All the time I was in Barbary I could never get sight of above three or four Dromedaries. These the Arabs call Mehera, the singular is Meheri. They are of several sorts, and degrees of value, some worth many common Camels, others scarce worth two or three. To look on, they seem little different from the rest of that Species, only I think the Excrescence on a Dromedary’s Back is somewhat less than that of a Camel. What is reported of their sleeping, or rather seeming scarce alive, for some Time after coming into this World, is no Fable. The longer they lie so, the more excellent they prove in their Kind, and consequently of higher Price and Esteem. None lie in that Trance more than ten Days and Nights. These that do, are pretty rare, and are called Ashari from Aashara, which signifies ten in Arabick. I saw one such, perfectly white all over, belonging to Lella Oumane Princess of that noble Arab Neja, named Hayl ben Ali, I spoke of, and upon which she put a very great Value, never sending it abroad but upon some extraordinary Occasion, when the greatest Expedition was required; having others, inferior in swiftness, for more ordinary Messages. They say that one of these Aasharies will, in one Night, and thro’ a level Country, traverse as much Ground as any single Horse can perform in ten, which is no Exaggeration of the Matter, since many have affirmed to me, that it makes nothing of holding its rapid Pace, which is a most violent Hard Trot, for four and twenty Hours upon a Stretch without shewing the least Sign of Weariness, or Inclination to Bait; and that having then swallowed a Ball or two of Sort of a Paste, made up of Barley-Meal, and may be a little Powder of Dates among it, with a Bowl of Water, or Camel’s Milk, if to be had, and which the Courier seldom forgets to be provided with, in Skins, as well for the Sustenance of himself as of his Pegasus, the indefatigable Animal will seem as fresh as at first setting out, and ready to continue running at the same scarce credible Rate, for as many Hours longer, and so on from one Extremity of the African Desarts to the other; provided its Rider could hold out without Sleep, and other Refreshment. This has been averred to me, by, I believe more than a thousand Arabs and Moors, all agreeing in every Particular.

I happened to be, once in particular, at the Tent of that Princess, with Ali ben Mahamoud, the Bey, or Vice-Roy of the Algerine Eastern Province, when he went thither to celebrate his Nuptials with Ambarca, her only Daughter, if I mistake not. Among other Entertainments she gave her Guests, the favourite white Dromedary was brought forth, ready Saddled and Bridled. I say Bridled, because the Thong, which serves instead of a Bridle, was put thro’ the Hole purposely made in the Gristle of the Creature’s Nose. The Arab appointed to mount, was straightly laced, from the very Loins quite to his Throat, in a strong Leathern Jacket; they never riding these Animals any otherwise accoutred, so impetuously violent are the Concussions the Rider undergoes, during that rapid Motion, that were he to be loose. I much question whether a few Hours such unintermitting Agitation would not endanger the bursting of some of his Entrails: And this the Arabs scruple not to acknowledge. We were to be diverted with seeing this fine Ashari run against some of the swiftest Barbs in the whole Neja, which is famed for having good ones, of the true Libyan Breed, shaped like Greyhounds, and which will sometimes run down an Ostridge; which few of the very best can pretend to do, especially upon a hard Ground, perfectly level. We all started like Racers, and for the first Spurt, most of the best mounted among us kept up pretty well, but our Grass fed Horses soon flagged: Several of the Libyan and Numidian Runners held Pace till we, who still followed upon a good round Hand Gallop, could no longer discern them, and then gave out; as we were told after their Return. When the Dromedary had been out of our Sight about half an Hour, we again espied it flying towards us with an amazing Volocity, and in a very few Moments was among us, and seemingly nothing concerned; while the Horses and Mares were all on a Foam, and scarce able to breathe, as was, likewise, a fleet, tall Greyhound Bitch, of the young Prince’s, who had followed and kept Pace the whole Time, and was no sooner got back to us, but lay down panting as if ready to expire. I cannot tell how many Miles we went; but we were near three Hours in coming leisurely back to the Tents, yet made no Stop in the Way. The young Prince Hamet ben al Guydom ben Sakhari, and his younger Brother Messoud, told their new Brother-in-Law, that they defied all the Potentates of Africa to shew him such an Ashari; and the Arab who rode it, challenged the Bey to lay his Lady a Wager of 1000 Ducats, that he did not bring him an Answer to a Letter from the Prince of Wargala, in less than four Days, tho’ Leo Africanus, Marmol, and several others assure us, that it is no less than forty Spanish Leagues, of four Miles each, South of Tuggurt to which Place, upon another Occasion, as I shall observe, we made six tedious Days March from the Neighbourhood of Biscara, North of which we were then, at least thirty Hours riding, if I remember rightly. However the Bey, who was a Native of Biscara, and consequently well acquainted with the Sahara, durst not take him up. By all Circumstances, and the Description given us, besides what I know of the Matter my self, it could not be much less than 400 Miles, and as many back again, the fellow offered to ride, in so short a Time; nay many other Arabs boldly proffered to venture all they were worth in the World, that he would perform it with all the Ease imaginable.

Morgan’s History of Algiers.

Chenier says “the Dromedary can travel 60 leagues in a day, his motion is so rapid that the rider is obliged to be girthed to the saddle, and to have a handkerchief before his mouth to break the current of the wind.”—These accounts are probably much exaggerated.

“The royal couriers in Persia wear a white sash girded from the shoulders to their waist many times round their bodies, by which means they are enabled to ride for many days without great fatigue.”

Hanway.