THE CAMEL. 191 



that writers in former days were so fond of describing. " I have 

 while in England," he says, " heard and read more than once of 

 the ' docile camel.' If ' docile ' means stupid, well and good ; 

 in such a case the camel is the very model of docility. But if the 

 epithet is intended to designate an animal that takes an interest 

 in its rider so far as a beast can, that in some ways understands 

 his intentions, or shares them in a subordinate fashion, that obeys 

 from a sort of submissive or half fellow feeling with his master, 

 like the horse or elephant, then I say that the camel is by no 

 means docile, very much the contrary ; he takes no heed of his 

 rider, pays no attention whether he be on his back or not, walks 

 straight on when once set agoing, merely because he is too stupid 

 to turn aside ; and then, should some tempting thorn or green 

 branch allure him out of his path, continues to walk on in this 

 new direction, simply because he is too dull to turn back into the 

 right road. His only care is to cross as much pasture as he 

 conveniently can while pacing mechanically onwards ; and for 

 effecting this his long flexible neck sets him at great advantage, 

 and a hard blow or a downright kick alone has any influence on 

 him whether to direct or impel. He will never attempt to throw 

 you off his back, such a trick being far beyond his hmited com- 

 prehension ; but if you fall off, he will never dream of stopping 

 for you, and walks on just the same, grazing while he goes, with- 

 out knowing or caring an atom what has become of you. If 

 turned loose, it is a thousand to one that he will never find his 

 way back to his accustomed home or pasture, and the first 

 comer who picks him up will have no particular shyness to get 

 over. Jack or Tom are all the same to him, and the loss of his 

 old master and of his former cameline companions gives him no 

 regret and occasions no endeavour to find them again. One only 

 symptom will he give that he is aware of his rider, and that is when 

 the latter is about to mount him, for on such an occasion, instead 

 of addressing him in the style of old Balaam's more intelligent 

 beast, ' Am not I thy camel upon which thou -has ridden ever 

 since I was thine unto this day ? ' he wiU bend back his long, 

 snaky neck towards his master, open his enormous jaws to bite if 

 he dares, and roar out a tremendous sort of groan, as if to com- 



