THE SHIP OF THE DESERT 



The Camel — The Carrier of Commerce of Northern Africa — Lives for Many Days Without 

 Food and Drink — How the Camel Is Loaded — A Caravan in the Desert. 



While the camel is not a wild animal, still it is so characteristic tO' African 

 conditions that we cannot but give it a place in our menagerie. What the 

 Roman roads were to Europe before the age of steam and electricity, the camel 

 has been, and in some localities still is, to Africa from time immemorial. The 

 immense sea of sand which covers a great part of Northern Africa would be 

 practically inaccessible without the "Ship of the Desert" — the patient, enduring 

 and indefatigable camel. 



It is doubtful whether the camel ever was a wild animal in Africa. Most 

 naturalists are agreed that it was introduced into the dark Continent by Ara- 

 bian traders from Asia. At least it has never been found on African soil and 

 in fact nowhere else either in its wild state. Like our domestic animals it has 

 been man's faithful servant and companion already in prehistoric times and 

 long before any written records of its history could have been produced. It 

 is found on the oldest monuments in Egypt and must have been well at home 

 there long before the time of Moses. 



But the time is rapidly approaching when modern devices and means of 

 communication shall have taken the place the camel now fills. The extension 

 of commerce and trade along the borders of Sahara require improved mail 

 service. At present it takes a caravan of camels three months to cover the 

 thousand miles of desert and oases separating the Niger from Colomb-Bechor. 

 This is too slow for our twentieth century business transactions. It is estimated 

 that the same route could be made in twenty-four hours by aeroplane : and 

 the French government is now about to establish an aerial mail service through 

 the desert. The aeroplane trip will be made in three stretches of eight hours 

 each, three stations being provided for taking fuel ; and the whole journey 

 need not take longer than three days at the most. 



Notwithstanding the great service the "Ship of the Desert" is doing, com- 

 merce and trade in and around Sahara, still this vast ocean of sand is the 

 greatest barrier to travel and transportation. Civilization, therefore, will 

 make rapid headway in North and Central xA.frica once the aeroplane is placed 



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