112 



be reckoned very poor. Their lactation period rarely extends over three 

 months, during the course of which they probably do not average more than a 

 gallon a day ; although it is true that some are occasionally met with yield- 

 ing as much as If galls., or even 2galls. a day. 



Tunisia is within easy reach of Europe, and one would imagine that she 

 would find some profit in exporting butter to the large consuming centres of 

 the Continent. For success in this direction, however, the importation of 

 improved breeds of cattle would be necessary ; and this is not possible until 

 Tunisian farmers shall have learnt to mend their ways. 



CAMELS. 



The " ship of the desert " is used throughout the Regency as a pack animal ; 

 and very weighty loads it is made to convey over the rough tracks that serve 

 the purpose of roads. Again, with horses and mules, the camel shares the 

 honor of going blindfolded from sunrise to sunset round the short circular 

 tracks setting in motion the creaking wooden water-wheels of the native 

 wells. In the extreme south of the Regency the camel takes the place of 

 the ox as general agricultural draught animal. 



This ungainly animal is relatively slow growing, not attaining to maturity 

 until a full 8 years old ; and with luck may attain to the green old age of 15 

 to 20 summers. The Arabs do not scorn his flesh, should fortuitous circum- 

 stances lead to his death. He is too valuable to them, however, to be made 

 an habitual article of diet. 



The secret of the camel's usefulness in desert regions is its ability to with- 

 stand thirst, and if necessary to subsist upon the hard, thorny shrubs peculiar 

 to these regions. The Arabs make use of the camel both as a pack animal 

 and a saddle animal ; the former is a clumsily built, heavy animal, capable 

 of carrying with ease over long distances loads of 500lbs., and more ; whilst 

 the latter is more gracefully and lightly built, of great endurance, and capable 

 of developing great speed. Riding camels are said to cover, without diffi- 

 culty, in the course of a day's work, distances of 120 to 130 miles. The differ- 

 ences in build of these two types of camels are practically those that distinguish 

 the draught from the saddle horse. Tunisian camels are reputed to be quiet 

 and docile, albeit given to biting, a means of offence which their long sinewy 

 necks enable them to resort to with great ease ; hence, to keep them out of 

 mischief it is customary to provide them with " Haifa " muzzles. Bull 

 camels, however, are apt to be both treacherous and dangerous in the rutting 

 season, during the course of which it is customary to keep them in confine- 

 ment. Camels appear to be very prone to mange, which in serious cases 

 gives them a very forlorn, moth-eaten aspect. The Arabs are very successful 

 in warding off this disease by periodically anointing the animals with Stock- 

 holm tar. Tar is said to possess the additional advantage of protecting 

 camels from flies and other troublesome insects. 



