196 THE CAMEL. 



The camels, which are driven out early in the morning 

 and home at night, are made to lie down before the tents 

 of their respective owners. A double rope, with a large 

 knot at one end, is then fastened round the knee-joints of 

 the old camels, that lead the droves : this effectually pre- 

 vents them from rising ; while before, or on either side, their 

 young companions repose on the hard sand. Thus they 

 continue till about midnight, when the Arabs are again in 

 motion, the ropes are removed from the leaders, and as 

 soon as they get up, the nets which prevented the young 

 camels from helping themselves are laid aside, and the 

 Arabs begin to milk. When this is done, the nets are 

 carefully put on again, and each are made to lie down in 

 the same place till daylight, at which time they are again 

 roused up, and the young ones are allowed to take jheir 

 turn. While the head of the family is thus busily em- 

 ployed, the wife and her attendants are striking and fold- 

 ing up the tent, making the camels kneel, and packing on 

 them their simple furniture. They next fasten a leather 

 or skin basket, about four feet wide, on the back of one of 

 the tallest camels, in which they place the old men and 

 women that cannot walk, with their little children, and 

 then proceed according to their daily custom. They keep 

 close to these, and ride by turns ; but the other camels are 

 driven off by the slaves, or young men of the tribe, to the 

 nearest hollow, in search of the prickly shrubs which occa- 

 sionally diversify their parched sides. The head of the 

 family generally precedes the loaded camels. After hav- 

 ing described the course they are to steer, he sets off on 

 his camel with a loaded gun, at a full trot, and goes on till 

 he finds a convenient halting-place. The wife proceeds 

 with all possible diligence, as soon as she perceives the 

 accustomed signal, and having halted, unloads her camel, 

 spreads forth her tent, places all the household stuff be- 

 neath it, clears away the small stones, unfolds the sleeping 

 mat, arranges the bowls, and hangs up the skins contain- 



