126 THE CAMEL 



exercife, but in fine weather, their lives might 

 be preferved, and we might even hope to fee 

 them produce. But fuch productions are rare* 

 and feeble ; and the parents themfelves are weak 

 and languid. In thefe climates, therefore, they 

 lofe all their value, and, inftead of being ufeful, 

 they coft their owners much expence in the 

 rearing. But, in their native country, they con- 

 stitute the fole riches of their matters *. The A- 

 rabians regard the camel as a prefent from hea- 

 ven, a facred animal "f, without whofe afliftance 

 they could neither fubfift, carry on trade, nor 

 travel. Camel's milk is the common food of the 

 Arabians. They alfo eat its flefh, that of the 

 young camel being reckoned highly favoury. Of 

 the hair of thofe animals, which is fine and foft, 

 and which is completely renewed every year J, 



the 



* Ex camelis Arabes divitia,s ac poiTeffiones aeftimant ; et 

 fi quando de divitiis principis aut nobilis cujufdam fermo 

 fiat, poffidere aiunt tot camelorum, non aureorum, millia ; 

 Leon. Afric. defer ipi. Afrieae, vol. 2. p. 748. 



+ Camelos, quibus Arabia maxime abundat, animalia fanc- 

 ta ii appellant, ex infigni commodo quod ex ipfis indigenae 

 accipiunt ; Profp. Alpin. hljl. Egypt, pars \. p. 225. 



\ In fpring, the hair of the camel fells off fo entirely, that 

 he refembles a fcalded hog. He is then fmeared all over with 

 pitch, to defend him from the flies. The hair of the camel is 

 a fleece fupeiior to that of any other domeftic animal. In 

 thefe countries, it is made into very fine fluffs, and, in Europe, 

 hats are made of it, by mixing it with beaver's hair; Voyage de 

 Chard'uiy torn. 2. p. 28. — In the fpring, the whole hair falls from 

 the camel in Iefs than three days. The fkin is completely 

 r.aked, and then the flies become extremely troublefome, a- 



gainft 



