574 . CHARACTER OF THE CAMEL. 



is supposed that the Camel is, in some way, able to dilate the honeycomb cells, and to force 

 them to receive a large quantity of the priceless liquid. 



A large and experienced Camel will receive five or six quarts of water into its stomach / 

 and is enabled to exist for as many days without needing to drink. Aided by this internal 

 supply of water, the Camel can satiate its hunger by browsing on the hard and withered thorns 

 that are found scattered thinly through the deserts, and suffers no injury to its palate from 

 their iron-like spears, that would direfully wound the mouth of any less sensitive creature. 

 The Camel has even been known to eat pieces of dry wood, and to derive apparent satisfaction 

 from its strange meal. 



The feet of the Camel are well adapted for walking upon the loose, dry sand, than which 

 substance is no more uncertain footing. The toes are very broad, and are furnished with soft, 

 wide cushions, that present a considerable surface to the loose soil, and enable the animal to 

 maintain a firm hold upon the shifting sands. As the Camel is constantly forced to kneel in 

 order to be loaded or relieved of its burden, it is furnished upon the knees and breast with 

 thick callous pads, which support its weight without injuring the skin. Thus fitted by nature 

 for its strange life, the Camel faces the desert sands with boldness, and traverses the arid 

 regions with an ease and quiet celerity that has gained for the creature the title of Ship 

 of the Desert, 



The Camel is invariably employed as an animal of carriage, when in its native land, and 

 is able to support a load of five or six hundred pounds' weight without being over-loaded. 

 The Arab will not willingly injure his Camel by placing too heavy a burden upon its back, but 

 in India, and some other countries where the Camel has been naturalized and domesticated, its 

 treatment is barbarous in the extreme. Hundreds of valuable animals are annually sacrificed 

 on account of the covetousness of their owners, who know that they will receive payment for 

 every Camel that falls upon the journey, and are consequently indifferent to the suffering and 

 condition of those animals which they have nominally taken under their care. 



The pace of the Camel is not nearly so rapid as is generally supposed, and even the speed 

 of the Heirie, or swift Camel, has been greatly exaggerated. " In crossing the Nubian desert," 

 says Captain Peel, "I paid constant attention to the march of the Camels, hoping it might be 

 of some service hereafter in determining our position. The number of strides in a minute with 

 the same foot varied very little, only from thirty-seven to thirty -nine, and thirty -eight was 

 the average ; but the length of the stride was more uncertain, varying from six feet six inches 

 to seven feet six niches. As we were always urging the Camels, who seemed, like ourselves, 

 to know the necessity of pushing on across that fearful tract, I took seven feet as the average. 

 These figures give a speed of 2.62 geographical miles per hour, or exactly three English 

 miles, which may be considered as the highest speed that Camels, lightly loaded, can keep 

 up on a journey. In general, it will not be more than two and a half English miles. My 

 dromedary was one of the tallest, and the seat of the saddle was six feet six inches above the 

 ground." 



The speed of the Heirie is seldom more than eight or ten miles per hour, but the endurance 

 of the animal is so wonderful, that it is able to keep up this pace for twenty hours without 

 stopping. To back a Heirie at full speed is a terrible task, as the peculiar jolting trot at which 

 the animal proceeds is so rough and irregular that it seems to dislocate every bone, and to 

 shake the digestive organs almost out of their places. It is needful for any one who wishes to 

 make a long journey on one of these animals to swathe himself tightly in bandages, in order 

 to save himself from the ill effects of long continued jolting. 



The gentle disposition and sweet temper of the Camel is quite as imaginary as its speed, 

 for the creature is truly an ill-conditioned and morose beast, ever apt to bite, and so combative 

 as to engage in terrible conflicts with its own species as soon as it is relieved of its load. 

 Taking advantage of this disposition, the native chiefs will often amuse themselves by com- 

 bats between fighting Camels, which are trained for the purpose, like the fighting tigers and 

 buffaloes of India. 



The true disposition of the Camel is told in a very spirited manner by the author of "Life 

 among the Pandies." 



