64 SOME BIRDS OF THE CANARY ISLANDS 



moonlight shining on the ruffled water at every stroke 

 of the oars ; these boats were each laden with forty 

 lambs, two camels, and four oxen ! The lambs were 

 disposed of in the spaces not taken up by the camels 

 and the men who were rowing, the four oxen floating 

 in the water, two at each side of the boat, to which 

 they were attached by a kind of wooden yoke fastened 

 to their shoulders. The lambs were unloaded first, 

 bleating helplessly, and were passed from hand to hand 

 into the hold of the vessel. Next came the oxen, lifted 

 and swung round into position by a crane ; and lastly 

 the camels, bound as it were hand and foot, with their 

 long necks stretched out horizontally, uttering the while 

 a gurgling sound, as they were finally deposited with a 

 soft bump in the hold. I think there must be some 

 charity in me, because although these camels had 

 passed me again and again with the most contemptuous 

 demeanour and insolent drooping of the eyelid, yet now, 

 when they were helpless and bound, with the prospect 

 of a sea journey before them, I felt sorry for them and 

 pitied them. 



