112 LEAVES FKOM THE 



was not so fortunate, for the swiftness of her dromedaries 

 could not prevent her from falling into the hands of 

 Aurelian. 



In ancient war, besides their use as beasts of burthen, 

 the swifter races, the maherries of that day, drew the 

 rapid scythed-chariots, mowing down masses of men in 

 their course ; or carried bo^\^nen, armed also with long 

 swords, to enable them to reach the cavalry and infantry 

 in personal encounters. 



As for camels, they are noiu-islied in the Levant or East parts 

 (quoth Philemon Holland, in his translation of Pliny), among 

 other heards of great cattell : two kindes there be of them, the 

 Bactrians and the Arabick : differing herein, that the Bactrians have 

 two bunches iipon their backs; the other but one apiece there; 

 but they have another in their brest, whereupon they rest and 

 ly. Both sorts want the upper row of teeth in their moiithes, like 

 as bulls and kine. In those parts from whence they come they 

 serve all to carry packs, like labouring horses, and are put to 

 service also in the wars, and are backed of horsemen : their swift- 

 ness is comparable to that of horses ; they grow to a just measure, 

 and exceed not a certain ordinary strength. The camell, in his 

 travelling, will not goe a iot farther than his ordinarj^ jom-ney ; 

 neither will he carry more than his accustomed and usuall load. 

 Natm-ally they doe hate horses. They can abide to be four daies 

 together without drinke ; and when they drinke or meet with 

 water they fill their skin full enough to serve both for the time 

 past and to come : but before they drinke, they must trample Tiith 

 their feet to raise mud and sand, and so trouble the water, other- 

 wise they take no pleasure in drinking. They live commonly fifty 

 yeares, and some of them a himdred. These creatures also other- 

 while fall to be mad, so much as it is. Moreover, they have a 

 device to splay even the very females, to make them fit for the 

 warres ; for if they be not covered, they become the sti'onger and 

 more courageous. 



There is one manifest error in this account, showing 

 that Pliny never could have looked into a camel's mouth, 

 which has two pointed incisive teeth implanted in the 

 upper jaw, forming vnth the six lower incisors a formi- 

 dable pair of nippers, admirably adapted for cutting 

 through the tough plants which form the principal food 



