122 THE CAMEL 



proportion, though he might do it easily enough ; still 

 I have read elsewhere that the State Train in Algeria 

 employ them at the rate of one to sixteen, which is 

 more likely to be correct, and for many reasons is 

 better for instance, at this rate he would have more 

 vigour, while a greater choice of sires increases the 

 chances of transmitting good mental and physical 

 qualities, and diminishes the possibility of transmitting 

 defective tendencies. 



Females also have their ovaries removed and are 

 used to carry loads, but only to a limited extent, because 

 as milk-giving and breeding animals they are far more 

 valuable to their owners than as beasts of burden, and 

 as such they are fed exceptionally well and exempted 

 from all work. Aristotle refers to this, and says that 

 even females are so treated that they should not become 

 pregnant in time of war, and he further adds that they 

 run very fast when in this condition, a fact which I 

 rather doubt for a spurt perhaps, but not for any 

 length of time, as running is not the camel's natural 

 pace. Unfortunately, it is not always the case that 

 breeding camels are kept from work, and I have seen 

 them in India, not only carrying heavy loads when near 

 confinement, but with the calf actually protruding and 

 being born on the march, and this state of things, I 

 regret to say, also occurred in Afghanistan. Fortunately 

 this is not, I imagine, of frequent occurrence in breeding 

 countries, because, in addition to their value as suppliers 

 of milk and of young, the fact of their only bearing 

 once in three years enhances their value, and it is only 

 in such emergencies as the Afghan War that owners, 

 the smaller and poorer especially, who cannot afford 



