THE GIRAFFE— CAMEL— BUFFALO 195 



large indeed, and are so formed that they can be opened and closed 

 at will. In these cells the camel stores up, so to speak, the greater 

 part of the water w'hich it drinks, and so has a supply sufficient to 

 last it for several days. When it becomes thirsty, it allows some 

 of the contents of the cells to flow into the stomach, and so on until 

 the whole stock is exhausted. This power of storing away water 

 seems to be partly a matter of practice, for an old camel, wdiich has 

 gained experience, can lay up nearly as much again as a younger 

 animal, and can manage to live without drinking for four or five days, 

 even when traveling beneath the fierce sun of the desert. 



The camel must have strength to bear its heavy burdens, and 

 endurance to enable it to plod steadily on from sunrise to sunset 

 without giving away to fatigue. 



Perhaps there is no creature which has these qualities in so great 

 a degree. A strong and healthy camel can carry a weight of from 

 five to six hundred pounds, or more than a quarter of a ton, and can 

 do so for hour after hour, and day after day, until the long journey 

 is over, and it is allow^ed to rest and regain its former condition. 

 The camel, however, possesses both strength and endurance, and so 

 is w^onderfully fitted for the hard and trying desert traffic. 



Lastly, the camel must be able to kneel, when required, upon 

 the sand, without receiving wounds in its skin, which would fester, 

 and so disable the animal for active service. 



Look at its chest, its elbow^s, its knees (as we wrongly call them) 

 and its hocks. They are all furnished with hard pads of horn-like 

 skin, W'hich feels no pain, and cannot be cut through by friction with 

 the keen-edged sand. These pads support most of the weight ,of the 

 body, so that the far more delicate skin runs no risk of injury when 

 the animal kneels, and is perfectly protected from harm. 



You must not think, as many people do, that these pads are not 

 provided by nature, but are the result of often-repeated pressure. 

 It is true enough that if we use our hands much for hard w^ork, such 

 as digging or wood-cutting, the skin of the palms becomes hard and 

 horny, and this certainly is the result of constant pressure from the 

 handles of our tools. But the animal is born with the pads. They do 

 not come to it after it has been working for man for some little time, 



