CHAPTER V. 



THE FOOT. 



The foot of the camel is equally adapted to 

 treading upon yielding sand and to climbing the 

 rugged rock, which, in all extensive deserts, forms 

 a much larger proportion of the surface than ac- 

 cumulations of sand. The surface of the wil- 

 derness is in general a hard, compact, gravelly 

 soil, or composed of loose stones, or bare rocks, 

 furrowed by deep and abrupt ravines ; and most 

 known deserts are apparently of submarine for- 

 mation. 



The foot is composed of two long toes united 

 by and resting upon an elastic cushion with a 

 tough and horny sole or facing. The foot spreads 

 upon touching the ground somewhat like that 

 of the moose and reindeer, and affords a broader 

 support to the weight of the animal than almost 

 any other quadruped is provided with. The 

 camel, therefore, sinks less in the sand than any 

 other large animal ; but he nevertheless instinc- 

 tively avoids it, as a horse does a puddle, and 

 prefers any other surface except mud, loose roll- 

 ing pebbles, and sharp-pointed rocks. Burck- 

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