OR, A TRKATISK ON PILE. 140 



The Arabian Camel or Dromedary, or Camel with but one hunch, belongs originally to 

 Arabia, as one of its names imports ; it is smaller than the other species; there are several 

 varieties, as the Turkman, which is the largest and strongest ; the Arabian, which is 

 hardy, and the Maihany and Raguahl, which is swift. The Camel is capable of traveling 

 eight or ten days upon a few dates and a little flour; it being generally supposed that, on 

 such occasions, the fat of the hump administers to its support. 



The hair is soft; longest about the neck, under the throat and about the hunch; the 

 color of that on the protuberance is dusky; that on the other parts, of a reddish-ash color. 

 The Camel is used as a beast of burthen in Egypt, and along the Mediterranean Sea, in 

 Morocco, Sara and Ethiopia. It lives from forty to fifty years. Its flesh and milk are 

 esteemed for food, and its pile is used in the manufacture of rich shawls, hats, cloth, 

 carpets, &c. It is provided with a bag, serving as a reservoir of pure water, which it can 

 pour into the stomach or raise even to the throat, at pleasure. It will carry a weight ot 

 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. In Upper Egypt a Camel is worth from 200 to 300 livres. 



Examination and Description of the Pile of the Camel. Specimen presented by Mr. 

 David Samuels, of Philadelphia, dealer in furs and pelts. 



The long Pile. Length, from -$ to -^ of a meter; shape, cylindrical and cylindroidal ; 

 greatest diameter, T | T of a millimeter; color, dark brown; lustre, considerable. 

 Ductility, Elasticity and Tenacity. 



With 170 grains one inch stretched -^ of an inch, elasticity entire. 

 " 220 " " " ^ " minus ^ 



" 270 " " " V " " A 



" 320 " " H " V 



" 370 " " " li " " ^ 



" 420 " broke. Fracture, abrupt. 



Button, sometimes white and spindle-shaped, at others trumpet-shaped, dark colored, 

 and angled ; length, -J^, and diameter, T - of a millimeter; sheath, white, transparent and 

 fibrous; length, f of a millimeter; diameter, -J^; shaft, tapering; diameters, at the sheath, 

 T f u , but gradually widens to T ^, and gradually narrows to the apex, where it is only T | 7 

 of a millimeter; cortex, dark brown; the coloring matter in transverse lines, which appear 

 to be formed by a succession of dark colored rings, occupying about i of the diameter of 

 the shaft. When a filament is wetted and pressed between two pieces of glass, these rings 

 fade away, but re-appear when the pressure is removed. When the pile is imbedded in 

 Canada balsam, the rings sometimes disappear entirely, leaving the cortex light fawn 

 colored, with transverse striae of specks of light. At other times the cortex becomes 

 entirely transparent, except some broken lines of coloring matter in the centre. Fibres, 

 white, translucent, coarse, and difficult to separate. 



The short Pile. Staple, 2^ inches; shape, cylindroidal; diameter, varies from 1^ to 



T , 1 |1J of a millimeter; button, spindle-shaped, white and opaque; length, T $ T , and diameter, 



T f 7 of a millimeter, when the shaft is -j-J^; cortex, white; scales, 500 to an inch in length. 



This fleece, owing to its great fineness, recommends itself to the manufacturer, although 



from its shape and small number of scales, we would conjecture that its felting and fulling 



