334 THE CAMEL 



such a sweeping condemnation of his mental powers 

 (vide chapters ii., in.), I place such marked importance 

 on the extreme value of the camel as a riding and 

 baggage animal ? But it is on this very account that I 

 base my opinion. He is simply a living automaton, 

 that moves when ,and where he is required to ; a 

 patient, submissive, if not willing slave, and a faithful 

 drudge who does his best, even when ill-treated, and 

 whose best is by no means contemptible under the 

 cruelest of conditions. But, accord him humane treat- 

 ment and careful management, and his value and uses 

 will increase, as I have endeavoured to show, in a 

 corresponding ratio, repaying our care and attention a 

 hundredfold, and it will be evident to any unbiased 

 reader, after a careful perusal of the work, that (1) By 

 a judicious system of elimination of inferior, and by the 

 strict selection and blending of the best breeds, a 

 superior race of camels could be produced. (2) In 

 addition to this, through proper management, a far 

 higher maximum of work would be obtained. (3) And 

 finally, that, with this increased improvement especially, 

 Sawaris and baggagers would prove infinitely superior 

 to any other class of riding or transport animal. 



I am afraid that, instead of confining my remarks 

 simply to the camel and his characteristics, I have 

 touched rather more fully than I had originally intended 

 on other questions in connection with transport generally. 

 If, however, I have made it clear (which has been my 

 object ah 1 through) that the baggager is invaluable on 

 his native soil, and with proper management is useful 

 at all times and in all climes, while the riding camel is 

 unequal for certain duties, and that both are really 



