28 



fej. Paces good, and free from lameness. 



ffj. Xose not torn ; pads sound and free from sinuses; back, 

 sides, &c., free from galls; no elbow brusliing*; feet 

 neither over-worn, bruised, ulcerated, nor otherwise dis- 

 eased ; tendons firm aoid clear ; hump well nourished. 



fgj. Eyes good and sound. 



The camel lives about 18 to 25 years according to the Arabs 

 and Turkestanis, but in India attains a greater age (40 years in 

 ]\Iontgomeiy, Nunn). Nothing will induce Mongol camel owners 

 to use their camels under a certain age, the Arabs bring the 

 males into work at the fifth year, when they attain the state of 

 puberty, after Avhich they fill out, and the hump becomes fully 

 furnished at seven or eight years of age. 



One Attendant is allowed, now, for every three camels. Unfor- 

 tunately, although it is urged as an objection to the use of camels 

 that they require skilled attendants, in time of emergency, when 

 careful management is especially required, men who are not Ser- 

 waus, mere kahars or common coolies, are hurried up and the 

 camels entrusted to their tender mercies in spite of the facts that 

 they do not know how to handle or manage camels, ill treat them 

 and rob them of their food and clothing, desert in numbers when 

 danger threatens, and pilfer stores on every available occasion. 

 The Russians find the same difficulties in dealing* with camel 

 drivers as we do. " They comprise a disorderly set of great 

 numerical strength, possessed of no discipline, ready to desert at 

 any moment, prone to plunder, and a source to demoralization to 

 the troops themselves. In the expedition of 1839-40, under 

 General Perovski, there were with the detachment, numbering 

 3,000 men, 2,000 drivers, who immediately they got to the Steppe 

 took to flight. The General was therefore obliged to shoot two 

 of the number who were caught. Desertion was thus stopped, 

 but the worry with these men continued, and to such an extent 

 that the detachment became, so to speak, an escort for its own camel 

 drivers" (Kostenko). True Serwans are hardy, useful men, of 

 sufl&ciently high caste to necessitate you being careful lest your 

 long shadow fall on the food they are cooking at evening stable 

 time and render it polluted and unfit for consumption. They are 

 shrewd, careful men as a rule and very kind to their animals, 



* An especial point to look to in purchase of a camel is that the elbows 

 be well turned out otherwise the loading rope galls tbera (Nuun). 



