CHAPTER XXIV 



SOME NOTES ON THE CAMEL 



Without my camels it would have been impossible 

 for me ever to have accomplished my journey from 

 the coast. If only as an act of justice to them, I must 

 give a short account of the character and habits of 

 these patient and useful animals, before proceeding 

 to describe the final incidents of my expedition and 

 my return to civilisation. 



About no other domesticated animal than the 

 camel is there so much popular misinformation, not 

 only as regards its habits, but also its physical 

 peculiarities. The Arabian or desert camel (Ca7nelus 

 dromedarms) is a member of the family Tylopoda, 

 to which also belong the llamas (that is, the common 

 llama,^ the guanaco,^ the vicuna ^ and the alpaca * ) 

 which inhabit South America. It is widely distri- 

 buted throughout northern Africa, Arabia and the 

 lowlands of Asia. It is distinguished by its larger 

 size and single hump from the Bactrian camel (C 

 bactrianus) characteristic of the desert highlands of 

 Central Asia. The latter, owing to the colder 

 climate of the country it inhabits, develops an 

 enormously thick coat, which in summer is shed in 

 large blanket-like patches. This peculiarity renders 

 them especially valuable to their owners, for a camel 

 thus provides them not only with meat and milk, but 



* L. lama. ^ Lamaguan acus. ^ L. vicunia. * L. pacos. 



269 



