Trail and Camp-Fire 



In the rainy season, when the country is 

 green, and grazing good on the waterless 

 plains, the natives take their large herds of 

 camels perhaps several days from any water 

 holes, and allow them to graze for a week or 

 more without driving them to where they can 

 get a drink. During this time, the natives 

 and their horses drink camel's milk in place of 

 water. It is not a bad substitute, and, after 

 getting used to the slight acid flavor, I used 

 to drink large quantities of it — both fresh and 

 sour. It will not do for tea or coffee, however, 

 as it curdles them. The camels are, no doubt, 

 oftentimes kept from water longer than is 

 good for them. They are a stupid animal, 

 and, when thirsty, do not nose round like a 

 horse, among the water barrels, to make their 

 wants known. They might go two weeks 

 without giving a sign of thirst, unless when 

 in the neighborhood of wells. Although two 

 out of the three compartments into which a 

 camel's stomach is divided are well lined with 

 pouches exclusively for water supply, and can, 

 by action of muscles in the stomach wall, be 

 shut off from the rest of the cavity, notwith- 

 standing the capacity of this reservoir, it is 

 probably best for a camel to have a drink 



88 



