ADEN. 57 



spacious bay or gulf. The foot of the bay and 

 the other side are flat, with one or two very 

 distant white villages, and many heaps of glitter- 

 ing salt as big as houses. 



We waited patiently at the rail for an hour 

 more to see the camels slung aboard by the 

 crane. It was worth the wait. They lost their 

 impassive and immemorial dignity completely, 

 sprawling, groaning, positively shrieking in dis- 

 may. When the solid deck rose to them, and 

 the sling had been loosened, however, they re- 

 gained their poise instantaneously. Their noses 

 went up in the air, and they looked about them 

 with a challenging, unsmiling superiority, as 

 though to dare any one of us to laugh. Their 

 native attendants immediately squatted down in 

 front of them, and began to feed them with con- 

 venient lengths of what looked like our common 

 marsh cat-tails. The camels did not even then 

 manifest the slightest interest in the proceedings. 

 Indeed, they would not condescend to reach out 

 three inches for the most luscious tit-bit held 

 that far from their aristocratic noses. The attend- 

 ants had actually to thrust the fodder between 

 their jaws. I am glad to say they condescended 

 to chew. 



