326 MAMMALIA — CAMEL. 



profit is not drav.-n ; for sal ammoniac is made from their urine. Their 

 dung, when dried and powdered, serves them for litter, as it does for horses, 

 with whom they often travel into countries Avhere neither straw nor hay is 

 known. In fine, a kind of turf is also made of this dung, which burns 

 freely, and gives a flame as clear, and almost as lively, as that of dry wood. 

 Even this is another great use, especially in deserts, where not a tree is 

 to be seen, and where, from the deficiency of combustible matters, fire is 

 ahuost as scarce as water. 



At particular seasons of the year, camel fights are common at Smyrna, 

 and at Aleppo. Such exhibitions are the disgrace of the vulgar (be they 

 the high or the low vulgar,) of all countries ; and the lion fights of the 

 savage Romans, the bull fights of Spain, the bull and badger baitings and 

 cock fights of England, and the camel fights of Asia Minor, are equally 

 indications of a barbarian spirit, which can only be eradicated by knowledge 

 and true religion. Of these, however, the camel fights appear the least 

 objectionable. 



Mr Mac Farlane thus describes to us this curious scene: — "One of the 

 favorite holiday amusements of the Turks of Asia Minor, is furnished by 

 the camel combats. An inclosure is made, and two camels, previously 

 muzzled, so that they cannot hurt each other much, are driven in, and incit- 

 ed to fight with each other. Their mode of combat is curious ; they knock 

 their heads together, (laterally,) twist their long necks, wrestle with their 

 fore legs, almost like bipeds, and seem to direct their principal attention to 

 the throwing down of the adversary. During this combat, the Turks, deep- 

 ly interested, will back some one camel and some the other ; and they will 

 clap their hands and cry out the names of their respective favorites, just as 

 our amateurs do with their dogs, or as the Spaniards, at their more splendid 

 and more bloody bull fights, will echo the name of the hardy bull, or the 

 gallant matador. • 



"I once, however, chanced to see a less innocent contest, which I have 

 noticed in my volume of travels. This was on the plain between Mounts 

 Sipylus and Tartalee, and the town of Smyrna. It was a fight in down- 

 right earnest. Two huge rivals broke away from the string, and set to in 

 spite of their drivers. They bit each other furiously, and it was with great 

 difficulty the devidgis succeeded in separating these, at other times, affec- 

 tionate and docile animals. The popular amusements which the camel 

 affords in other parts of the East are of a less ferocious nature. At a parti- 

 cular season of the year, the Mahomedans in the neighborhood of Mount 

 Sinai have camel races, and this festival is a time of great rejoicing." 



Burckhardt rela^an interesting story, which beautifully illustrates the 

 surprising instincj; of the camel. It was told to him by a man who had 

 himself suffered all the pangs of death : — ' 



" In the month of August, a small caravan prepared to set out from Ber- 

 ber to Daraou. It consisted of five merchants and about thirty slaves, with 



