Kickers, rearers, jibbers, shyers, and stumblers are but too common, and falls of almost daily occurrence on a long journey.

Goodness knows how many Gerome and I had between Resht and the Persian Gulf.
Notwithstanding these drawbacks, the speed attained by the wretched half-starved animals is little short of marvellous.

Nothing seems to tire them.

We averaged fifty miles a day after leaving Teheran, covering, on one occasion, over a hundred miles in a little over eleven hours.

This is good work, considering the ponies seldom exceed fourteen hands two inches, and have to carry a couple of heavy saddle-bags in addition to their rider.