Wadnoon 17th May 1836
My dear Sir,
The great interest you take in all matters relating to Electricity & the great advances which have resulted from your researches in this science, induce me to call to your attention to a circumstance, perhaps not known to you, which has occurred to me in some way connected with this subject. I received a present of a horse of a peculiar kind from the Sultan of Morocco2 & as every person in this Country is his own groom I observed a peculiar tingling sensation in the hand on clipping the neck of the animal[.] This I attributed to the dirt & vermin with which the poor animals in this country abound & passed it over unnoticed leaving Morocco I proceeded towards the Atlas & on each occasion that I had to consult my compass I found it extremely difficult nay impossible to keep it steady at first I supposed this might have been produced by my Sword & Pistols yet I wore them when walking without observing the same deflection, I dismounted & holding the compass still perceived the same effect whilst holding it near the horse whose bridle I held leaving the animal & placing the instrument on the ground the needle settled to its point, it then occurred to me the effect produced on my hand & rubbing the horses neck on the nearside I could perceive several distinct intimations & the same tingling sensation. We proceeded to our halt & as soon as I got my soldiers & party sat down to the evening meal I began to examine this effect[.] It was now getting dusk on passing my hand down the neck not only could I hear the detonations but perceive a quantity of sparks, these were about the size & the crackling about as kind as those produced by rubbing the large plate machine at the Royal Inst. Thinking these might still be produced by animalculae & intending to remain the next day for the purpose of examining the ruins of Trassermant I ordered the horse to be well washed in the morning[.] I found on pouring water over his neck a peculiar spasmodic effect produced which was not the case when poured over any other part of his body, or did any other part of the body present the same phenomenon not even the offside of the neck that portion being covered by his mane ascending the lower part of the chain to near the snow - the effect was scarcely visible but returning to the valley it heightened & which was always the case after the animal had been well washed & dried, approaching the sea it became more powerful and at Mogador I got several persons to witness it. I was then told by a lad who accompanied me from Morocco to take great care of this horse that there were very few of them & the Sultan very seldom gave them away that it was not only a horse of blood but a horse of fire & that it would never tire I have done much very hard work with the animal & he bears out this character. I have even observed on touching him with the spur or his becoming excited by the firing of guns or the sight of other horses that great action is produced on the side of the neck having entered the Desert with him the effect nearly disappeared & with it a neat portion of his courage tho' he continued to do his work well this may be owing to the great change in care & spare diet & he sympathises with his Master in showing more bone than flesh as our meals are reduced to one a day. Can the colour have any effect he is Golden Dun with black mane & tack & I have seen but three of the same here two in the Sultan's stable & one the Shiek of Stuka3 but could not obtain permission to examine them. I am anxious to send him to England but fear that is impossible given the whole of the persons in power in Morocco are so incensed against me for having eluded their vigilance & having succeeded in getting out of the Empire, upon the direct track of the Gold that I have been told nothing now would be granted me & that if I came back I shall rue what I have done in passing to this place the road is now open to me but my inclination is now to follow the caravan south but proceed with a small escort & a few camels by the route the couriers take & they get an additional line & bearing which may help to establish the position of Timbuctoo.
I had made a collection of for the R.I. to the officers and Members of which I beg to present my respectful compliments of some mineralogical and fossil specimens amongst these many if Copper Antimony lead and what they call here brass Nhas Asfer with duplicates for Professor Berzelius at the request of the Consul General at Tangier having to lighten my baggage in passing through Lower Suse the mule made this load of stones had to give way with a promise that they should be sent to Mogador they are addressed to you with a request to forward the duplicates to Professor Berzelius, Stockholm. I fear much these are gone a Barber telling me the people will be sure to think they contain Gold all will go to the furnace, let us hope not [MS torn] by the time this reaches you to arrived at Tim4
DAVIDSON, John (1839): Notes taken during Travels in Africa, London.
SPENCER, William (1980): Historical Dictionary of Morocco, London.
Please cite as “Faraday0919,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on