4 HORN EXPEDITION — NARRATIVE. 



Then, too, tho movement of the heast when it walks or trots lias a peculiar 

 churning eflect on specimens, and as it is not always possible to safely stow them 

 away when on tho march, many a one is l^uised and spoilt. Tn walking- it does 

 not move its feet like a horse — two diagonally opposite ones at a time — hut the 

 two near or the two off feet are lifted simultaneously. 



In arid country, such as we for the most part traversed, the camel certainly 

 iias great advantages ; but it must be confessed that you Krst mount your beast 

 without any e.xpectation of pleasure, that you derive none whatevei' from your 

 association witli him, and that you part eomj^any without any legret on either side. 



The bull camels will tight furiously for the possession of the cows, l)iting each 

 other fiercely with their powerful canine teeth. The victor, if it does not entirely 

 disable the vanquished one, will chase the latter away at headlong speed, utterly 

 regardless of anything in its way ; and if the fight takes place at night, as it once 

 did with us, and the lliglit of the vaiKpiished one happens to be directed through 

 the camp, then the consecpiences may be very serious, as two infuriated camels 

 running " amuck " require to be given a wide berth. 



A bull camel has a remarkable habit of in some curious way forcing the air 

 in l)ehind the uvula and forming a bladder, which begins to come out at one side 

 of the mouth. The beast makes a loud bubbling sound, the bladder in the mean- 

 time growing larger and larger until it is as big as its head. Then tlie bubbling 

 ceases, and the bladder is gradually withdrawn. 



The neck is so long that when you perhaps imagine yourself well out of 

 harm's way, you ai-e startled to hear a sudden snap and to find that the beast has 

 made a savage bite at you. If angry, they will try and get you down upon the 

 ground and endeavour to pound you with tho hard callosity on their chest. 

 Altogether, it is best to be on your guard when dealing with camels ; there is 

 no getting fond of them, and of all beasts of burden they combine in the iiighest 

 degree the qualities of filthiness, viciousness, and crass stupidity. 



The ordinary baggage difiers, as it has been said, from the riding camel as 

 much as a thoroughbred does from a cart horse ; and of all the methods of 

 travelling, the back-breaking swing of a rough camel is the most monotonous. 

 A "ood riding camel will travel as fast as ten or even twelve mih^s an hour, 

 and can keep this up for many hours during the day, but the ordinary loading 

 ones will not cover more ground than between two and three miles an hour. 

 They always travel in single file, and it is most dilKcult to get two to walk side by 

 side, so (hat conver'sation wliilst on the march is conducted under dillicidties. 



