134 THE CAMEL 



CHAPTER VI 



WATERING 



IT is on this point, and that of feeding, two of the 

 greatest importance in connection with the camel, that 

 his powers or capabilities have been grossly exag- 

 gerated, and the most culpable ignorance and negli- 

 gence have been displayed. The theory of his being 

 able to go days and days without water as long as 

 fourteen days and more, as I have frequently seen 

 stated is utterly ridiculous. He can go days, and that 

 to his detriment, but not days and days. He can also 

 do without food for a few days, but a very few, and at 

 the end of the time he is decidedly the worse for want 

 both of water and food. He can go longer without 

 water than without food. 

 Various A great deal has been written by various travellers 



opinions 



and naturalists on this subject, but in the former the 

 camel's powers have been judged by special and 

 individual cases ; in the latter, the information of 

 naturalists is chiefly hearsay, and has been gleaned 

 from travellers, whose experience has been confined to 

 special breeds and a particular journey. Calmet says 

 that c camels will continue ten or twelve days without 

 eating or drinking, and keep water a long time in their 

 Masius stomachs for their refreshment.' Masius, a German 

 naturalist, in his ' Zoologie,' says that ' the camel can 



