THE CAMEL. 51 



one of these Jldshari ran against some of the swiftest Barbs in the 

 whole JVe/a, which is famed for having good ones, of the true 

 Libyan breed, shaped like greyhounds, and which will sometimes 

 run down an ostrich. The reader will not, we apprehend, be dis- 

 pleased at our transferring his account to these pages. 



1 We all started like racers, and for the first spurt, most of the 

 best mounted among us, kept pace pretty well ; but our grass-fed 

 horses soon flagged: several of the Libyan and Numidian runners 

 held pace, till we, who still followed upon a good round hand gal- 

 lop, could no longer discern them, and then gave out; as we were 

 told after their return. When the dromedary had been out of 

 sight about half an hour, we again espied it, flying towards us with 

 an amazing velocity^ and in a very few moments was amongst us, and 

 seemingly nothing concerned; while the horses and mares were all 

 on a foam, and scarcely able to breathe, as was likewise a tall fleet 

 greyhound dog, of the young princess, who had followed and kept 

 pace the whole time, and was no sooner got back to us, but lay 

 down panting as if ready to expire.' 



This account shows, also, with what propriety the prophet calls 

 this animal the ' swift dromedary,' (Jer. iii. 23,) as well as the wis- 

 dom of Esther's messengers, in choosing it to carry their despatch- 

 es to the distant provinces of the Persian empire, Esth. viii. 10. 



The writer just quoted, informs us, that the Arabs guide their 

 dromedaries by means of a thong of leather, which is passed 

 through a hole purposely made in the creature's nose. Will not 

 this illustrate the expression in 2 Kings, xix. 28 : ' I will put my 

 hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee 

 back by the way by which thou earnest ?' This denotes, no doubt, 

 the depth of the Assyrian's humiliation, and the swiftness of his re- 

 treat. 



Another passage which Mr. Taylor thinks may be illustrated by 

 the application of the term Jl&share to a swift dromedary, is Prov. 

 vllO, 11: 



A little sleep, a little slumber, 



A little folding of the arms to sleep ; 



So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, 



And thy want as an armed man. 



It is evident that the writer means to denote the speed and rapid- 

 ity of the approaches of penury ; therefore, instead of, ' one that 

 travelleth,' we may read ' a post, or quick messenger,' an express. 

 But our present business is with the 'armed man.' Now, the words 

 thus translated, are no where used to denote an armed man, or <a 

 man of a shield,' as some would render them literally ; but the Chal- 

 dee paraph rast translates them thus, ' swift like an AashareJ or, 

 mounted on an Jldshare, i. e. an */2ds/iare-rider, to answer to the post 

 or express, in the former line. Thus we shall have an increase of 

 swiftness suggested here, as the passage evidently demands. The 

 sentiment, on the principles above suggested, would stand thus: 



