60 USES OF THE CAMEL'S HUMP. 



quench his devouring thirst, has preserved his life at the expense of 

 that of his camel, by killing the poor animal, and opening his reser- 

 voir to drink its contents. 



The hump, of which the Arabian camel, or dromedary, has but one, 

 while the Bactrian, or camel properly so called, has two, is, in truth, " a 

 storehouse of solid nutriment, on which he can draw for supplies long 

 after every digestible part has been extracted from the contents of the 

 stomach : this storehouse consists of one or two large collections of fat 



BACTRIAN CAMEL. 



stored up in ligamentous cells supported by the spines of the dorsal 

 vertebrae. When the camel is in a region of fertility, the hump 

 becomes plump and expanded ; but after a protracted journey in the" 

 wilderness it becomes shrivelled and reduced to its ligamentous con- 

 stituent, in consequence of the absorption of the fat."* 



To be deprived of drink for from eight to ten days is no hardship 

 to the camel. Accredited authorities testify that without any serious 



* Brande, " Dictionary of Art and Science," art. Camel. 



