Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/292

 surrounded by about two hundred slaves and attendants, and about forty chiefs on horseback, who were galloping about and skirmishing with each other, after the manner of the country. Their style of riding differs materially from that of the Arabs, owing, in a great measure, to their using long stirrups, and to their taking a larger sweep for their manœuvres. Their horses are generally strong, of a beautiful make, and in very high condition; but the latter part of the description could not be very correctly applied to the riders, who, from the long continuance of the fast, looked, for the most part, terribly thin and emaciated. The Abyssinians, in general, are well skilled in horsemanship, and exceedingly graceful in their movements, managing their arms with great dexterity, and at the same time never for an instant losing the perfect command of their horses. The lightness of their accoutrements is particularly advantageous, and gives them such a scope for the free exercise of their limbs, as would, in my opinion, render them superior to an equal number of Arabs. Their bridle, called "legaum," consists of a coarse Mameluke bit, a plain headstall, and a neatly-wrought chain, answering the purpose of reins. The saddle is very simple in its form, but of an excellent construction, consisting of two thin pieces of wood, fastened together by thongs of leather, with a high pommel in front, and a kind of back to lean against; the whole of which is covered with an ornamental piece of red leather, manufactured in the country in imitation of morocco; under this is placed a 'marashut,' or 'cloth of quilted stuff,' which is doubled in front, in order more particularly to preserve the shoulders of the horse: the whole of these accoutrements being exceedingly light and strongly fastened on the animal by a girth, a broad breast-band, and a crupper, which is not, like ours, sustained by the tail only, but, from being fastened to the two sides of the saddle, passes round the whole of the hinder part of the animal. By way of ornament round the neck of their horses, the Abyssinians place a collar, made of the Zebra's mane, together with chains of jingling brass, and occasionally a small bell. The whole of this equipage is so decidedly different from that of their neighbours, the Arabs, that it affords, among others,