PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 69 



daries as much as they do their horses, and it is only as presents, or 

 -else at enormous prices, that the choicest animals can be obtained. 



A first rate Nomanieh is worth in Cairo from five to six hundred 

 dollars ; but those ordinarily met with there sell for from one two 

 hundred dollars. 



The Bichariehs sell for less ; good ones, that is to say, such as arc for 

 sale, may be had for from sisty to one hundred dollars. At nearly for 

 the sam^e prices as for the Bieharieh can be purchased also the 

 <>ther breeds of the llahazi, Cawarah, and Ahabdi. 



I will remark here that the Bieharieh dromedaries do not carry as 

 heavy burdens as the Nomanieh. Thes€ last carry a saddle called 

 gabit, fitted with pads and with saddle bags, termed Krourque, that 

 hang down on both sides of the saddle and carry the baggage, pro- 

 visions, &c., of the rider and of the dromedary. 



The Bieharieh carries a wodden saddle laid over two small pads 

 which are not fastended to it. This saddle is called Kyapah, mara- 

 louf, &c., &c., according to its shape. Saddle bags cannot be carried 

 over it on account of its form ; but behind it a small sack of hide called 

 Biba, in which a little baggage can be packed, may be attached after 

 the manner of a valise or portmanteau. 



Often in expeditions a servant or follower rides behind upon the 

 dromedaries of the two breeds, both riders carrying their arms. In a 

 word, the Nomanieh generally carries from two hundred to two hun- 

 dred and thirty pounds ; the Bieharieh one hundred and eighty ; at 

 the utmost their burdens are three hundred and fifty, and three 

 hundred pounds. 



A dromedary well equipped, well ridden and in good condition, can 

 easily make in a day, over suitable ground, level and a little sandy, 

 about ninety miles, that is, between the morning and the evening, but 

 it cannot keep on at that rate. It can make fifty miles a day for 

 fifteen or twenty days, and for a long journey can be counted upon for, 

 that. I have myself travelled upon one ninety miles in eleven hours, 

 and gone twelve miles in forty minutes. 



If reliance could be placed upon the stories told by the Arabs of the 

 swiftness of dromedaries, whose deeds as well as names have been 

 traditionally preserved, they would have been capable of performing 

 prodigies ; but I have never seen any such miracles. 



^ SADDLESL 



Fig. 1. The saddle of the Bieharieh is made of the wood of the 

 mimosa, a very heavy and hard wood. The several parts are con- 

 nected together by strings of raw hide. The pads are of skin, stuffed 

 with wool or horse hair (fig. 2 ;) the girths are woolen, and the 

 breast-strap is of leather thongs, plaited. 



Fig. 3. The saddle of the Nomanieh is of white jujube wood. The 

 connexion of the several parts is also made with hide thongs, not a 

 nail being used. The pads are of skin, and stuffed with wool. 



It was for a long time asserted that dromedaries copulated in a 

 manner different from that of other animals, that is to say, by coming 

 together backwards^ because the organ of the male, in its ordinary 



