208 WILD ANIMALS. 



rich. Kirgiz, who had bo many horses and camels in his possession 

 that he was unable to take care of them. A great number escaped 

 and the camels became wild." In a subsequent account of these- 

 animals we are told that caravan camels have been known to elope 

 with their wild mates and never return to their owners. 



Colonel N. Prejevalsky,* the Russian traveller, in his journey 

 saw one wild camel, which he did not succeed in killing, for 

 firing at it when 500 paces away he missed it, which, as he says, 

 was a memorable miss for a sportsman. His inquiries on the 

 subject of these animals elicited considerable information, from 

 which we quote the following: — "The chief habitat of the wild 

 camel at the present day is the desert of Kumtagh, to the east of 

 Lake Lob ; this animal is also occasionally found in the Lower 

 Tarim, in the Kuruk-tagh mountains, and more rarely still in the 

 sands bordering with the Cherchen-daria ; beyond the town of 

 Cherchen, in the direction of Khoten, its existence is not known. 

 Twenty years ago wild camels were numerous near Lake Lob,, 

 where the village of Ohargalik now stands, and further to the east,, 

 along the foot of the Altyn-tagh, as well as in the range itself. 

 Our guide, a hunter of Chargalik, told us that it was not unusual 

 in those days to see some dozens, or even a hundred, of those 

 animals together. He himself had killed upwards of a hundred 

 of them in the course of his life (and he was an old man) with 

 a flint-and- steel musket. With the increase of population at 

 Chargalik, the hunters of Lob-nor became more numerous, and 

 camels scarcer. Now the wild camel only frequents the neigh- 

 bourhood of Lob-nor, and even here in small numbers. Years 

 pass without so much as one being seen; in more favourable 

 seasons again the native hunters kill their five and six during the 

 summer and autumn. The flesh of the wild camel, which is very 

 fat in autumn, is used for food, and the skin for clothing. . . . 

 Unlike the domesticated animal, whose chief characteristics are 

 cowardice, stupidity, and apathy, the wild variety is remarkable 

 for its sagacity and admirably developed senses. Its sight is 

 marvellously keen, hearing exceedingly acute, and sense of smell 

 wonderfully perfect. The hunters told us that a camel could 



* " From Kulja across the Tiaii Shan to Lob-nor." 1879. 



