ANIMALS. 509 



is called a caravan, in which tlie numbers are sometimes known 

 to amount to above ten thousand, and the number of camels is 

 often greater than tjiose of the men : each of these animals is 

 loaded according to his strength, and he is so sensible of it him- 

 self, that when his burden is too great, he remains still upon hi? 

 belly, the posture in which he was laden, refusing to rise, till hi: 

 burden be lessened or taken away. In general, the large camels 

 are capable of carrying a thousand weight, and sometimes twelve 

 hundred ; the dromedary, from six to seven. In these trading 

 'ourneys, they travel but slowly, their stages are generally regu- 

 lated, and they seldom go above thirty, or at most about five and 

 thirty miles a-day. Every erening, when they arrive at a stage, 

 which is usually some spot of verdure, where water and shiubs 

 are in plenty, they are permitted to feed at liberty ; they are then 

 seen to eat as much in an hour as will supply them for twenty- 

 four ; they seem to prefer the coarsest weeds to the softest pas- 

 ture : the thistle, the nettle, the cassia, and other prickly vege- 

 tables, are their favourite food ; but their drivers take care to 

 supply them with a kind of paste composition, which serves as a 

 more permanent nourishment. As these animals have often 

 gone the same track, they are said to know their way precisely, 

 and to pursue their passage when their guides are utterly astray ; 

 when they come within a few miles of their baiting-place, in the 

 evening, they sagaciously scent it at a distance, and increasing 

 their speed, are often seen to trot with vivacity to their stage. 



The patience of this animal is most extraordinaiy ; and it is 

 probable that its sufferings are great ; for when it is loaded it 

 sends forth most lamentable cries, but never offers to resist the 

 tyrant tha^ oppresses it. At the slightest sign it bends its knees 

 and lies upon its belly, suffeiing itself to be loaded in this posi 

 tion ; by this practice, the burden is more easily laid upon it 

 than if lifted up while standing ; at another sign it rises with 

 its load, and the driver getting upon its back between the pan- 

 niers, which, like hampers, are placed upon each side, he encou- 

 rages the camel to proceed with his voice and with a song. In 

 this manner the creature proceeds contentedly forward with a slow 

 uneasy walk, of about four miles an hour, and when it comes to 

 its stage lies down to be unloaded as before.' 



1 Mr Soniiii says, he has sometimes seen lliom weary of the impatience of 

 their riders, stoji sliort, hiru round their long neclis to bite them, and utter 



2 U 2 



