108 THE CAMEL 



very light shade. In Nubia and the Soudan the tribes 

 of the east and west of the Nile are the only breeders 

 and carriers that cross the deserts that exist in that 

 portion of Africa, and not only every tribe but every 

 house has its own distinguishing brand. It does not 

 follow that because one district is famed for a special 

 breed that no other will be found there. Both Bisharin 

 and Kababish camels can be purchased at Assiout, and 

 at Assouan and other places various breeds can also 

 be bought. It is therefore of some importance to 

 detect the breeds. I have been informed that these 

 distinguishing marks are never used fraudulently by the 

 natives when dealing either with Europeans or among 

 themselves ; due no doubt to the fact that most of them 

 are not only thoroughly well up in the brands, but can 

 as a general rule tell one breed from the other without 

 them. As to Europeans, so few of them comparatively 

 ever go up country, and so great is their average 

 ignorance of the camel, that it is simple enough to 

 deceive them without troubling to perpetrate such 

 frauds. 



