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Description
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par Daumas ; Ouvrage publié avec l'autorisation du Ministre de la Guerre., First edition of General Daumass work treating all aspects of the Arabian horses of the Sahara desert. Later French editions of this work were published up to 1864; it also was translated into English and German. The book is divided into two parts and includes extensive information on the principles of Arabian cavalry, military costumes of horsemen, celebrated Arabian horse breeds (Haymour, Bou-ghareb, Meizique), how to choose and acquire your horse, nutrition, hygiene, the meaning of the variously coloured horse attires, rigging, veterinarian medicine and illnesses, crippledness, castration, various kinds of military attacks in the deserts and how to execute them, tribal wars, as well as ostrich, gazelle, and falcon hunting. The book concludes with general remarks on the Sahara desert (pp. 335-365) and a letter (pp. 369-382) from the Algerian Sufi saint and military and religious leader Abd-el-Kader (Abdelkader El Djezairi (1808-83), the Emir of Mascara who founded the Algerian state and led the Algerians in their struggle against French domination (1840-46) and in 1847 was imprisoned with his family by the French government in the fortress of Lamalgue in Toulon (France). The Emir wrote the letter while Daumas served as French consul in Mascara. In this letter the Emir, calling himself Daumas friend, answers some questions Daumas previously asked him while preparing this book. M. J. E. Daumas (1803-71), a French general of the first cavalry division, was posted to Algeria in 1835, which Charles X had invaded five years previously. Daumas participated in 18 Algerian campaigns, including those of Mascara and Tlemcen. Between 1837 and 1839, Daumas resided in Mascara as consul and personally got to know the Emir of Mascara. He also was in charge of the Arab affairs department, the main instrument to administer cooperative tribes during in the insurgency which was reinstated by general Juchault de Lamoricière in 1841. While in Algeria, Daumas learned the Arabic language and became one of the French armys best experts on Arab culture in North Africa. Tribesmen came to respect him for his skills on horseback. In April 1850 he became director of Algerian affairs in the Ministry of War in Paris. In 1853 he was promoted to divisional general; in 1857 he was named senator. Upper joint cracked and corners bumped; marginal spotting and occasional browning. A good copy of this work, treating all aspects of the Arabian horse. Menessier de la Lance I, p. 348. Cf. Gay, Bibl. de lAfrique et lArabe 1198. Not in Podeschi., Main Heritage Shelves General, SF283 .D38 1851, Book, Item-ID: i16220456, BIB-ID: 1463227 |
