THE CAMEL. 451 



to forced exertion it would probably have performed 180 

 or even 200 miles within the space of 24 hours. Mes- 

 sengers have travelled in seven days from Bagdad to 

 Aleppo, which is a journey of twenty-five ; and from 

 Cairo by land to Mecca, which is forty-five stations, in 

 eighteen days, without changing their camels. But the 

 swiftness of this animal never approaches for short dis- 

 tances even to that of a common horse ; though it is per- 

 haps unrivalled for the ease with which it will despatch 

 an uninterrupted journey of several days and nights if 

 allowed its own natural pace. Twelve miles an hour is 

 reckoned its utmost degree of celerity in trotting ; at full 

 speed it may gallop from sixteen to eighteen, but it can- 

 not support so violent an effort for more than half an 

 hour without showing symptoms of distress. Niebuhr 

 calculates that the larger ones make 975 paces in half an 

 hour, and the smaller 1050. In those used for carriage 

 strength is the principal quality desired. In common 

 cases the load is from 400 to 500 Ibs. for a short journey, 

 and from 300 to 400 Ibs. for one of any considerable dis- 

 tance. Some will carry fifteen cwt. ; but the longer the 

 journey, and the fewer wells on the route, the lighter is 

 the burden. The capability of bearing thirst varies con- 

 siderably among the different races. The Anatolian ca- 

 mel requires water every second day : in Arabia the ut- 

 most extent to which they can endure in summer without 

 drinking is four days, and in cases of absolute necessity 

 they may perhaps go five ; but in the caravans from Dar- 

 fur they travel nine or ten days without water. Burck- 

 hardt never heard that the Arabs, even in the extremity 

 of their distress, slaughtered this animal for the sake of 

 finding a supply in its stomach to allay their thirst ; nor 

 did he think it likely that they would resort to this expe- 

 dient, as their own destruction was involved in that of 

 the beast on which they rode. In Egypt they are guided 

 by a cord attached to a nose-ring ; but those of Arabia 

 seldom have their nose perforated, and are more obedient 

 to the short stick of the rider than to the bridle. The 

 drivers have a song full of guttural sounds that they 

 chant, and by which the animals know to halt, walk, 

 trot, eat, drink, stop, or lie down. In loading or unloading 

 they are taught to obey a particular signal, crouching 

 down upon the ground with their legs bent under them, 

 so that the rider may get off and mount again without 



