Chap.XI. of Monfieur Tavermier. 49 



the bnfinefs. This Propofal , that would have been accepted in Chriftendom , was 

 rejected by thofe poor Mahometans ; in fo much that the Father tore his Beard , and 

 the Women their Hair , crying out , That if it Were the cuftom of the Franks to 

 fell the Blood of their Kindred , it was not their cuftom fo to do. When the reft 

 of the kindred came with the Cafer to Schirai , the Kan did all he could to perfuade 

 the Widow to take Money *, but not being able to over-rule her , he was forc'd 

 to give the Cafer into their hands : and how they us'd him I cannot tell , being con- 

 ftrain'd at the fame time, to pafs from Schirai for Ijpahan. 



CHAP. XL 



Of the breeding , nature , and federal forts of Camels. 



TH E Female Camel bears her Burthen eleven Months -, and her Milk 

 is a fovereign Remedy againft the Dropfie. You muft drink a Pint of 

 it every Day for three Weeks together : and I have feen feveral Cures 

 wrought thereby at Balfara , Ormas , and in other places in the Per/tan 

 Gulf, upon feveral Englijh and Holland Mariners. 



So foon as a Camel comes into the World, they fold his Feet under his Belly, 

 and make him lye upon them-, after that they cover his Back with a Carpet that 

 hangs to the Ground , laying Stones upon each fide , fothat he may not be able to 

 rife *, and thus they leave him for fifteen or twenty days. In the mean time they 

 give him Milk to drink , but not very often ; to the end he may be accuftom'd to 

 drink littlc.This they doalfo to ufe them to lye down, when they go about to Lade 

 them j at which time they will fold their Legs and lye down fo obediently, that it 

 is an admirable thing to confider. So foon as the Caravan comes to the place where it is 

 to lye, all the Camels that belong to one Mafter will range themselves in a Circle, 

 and lye down upon their fore Feef, fothat it is bur untying one Cord that holds 

 the Bales, and they will Aide off gently from each fide of the Camel. When 'tis time 

 to lade again , the fame Camel comes and crouches down between the two Burthens, 

 and when they are faften'd , gently rifes [up with the Burthen again •, which is done 

 without any trouble or noife. When the Camels are unladen , they let them go a- 

 field to feed upon the Heath and Bufhes , and half an hour before Sun-fet they 

 return of themfelves, unlefs any one happen to wander, which they will call 

 again with a certain Cry which is natural to thera. When they return , they range 

 themfelves in a Circle , and the Muleters give to every one little Balls of Barley- 

 meal kneaded , as big as two Fifts. The Camel though he be of a large bulk , eats 

 very little , contented with what he meets with upon the Heaths ^ where he more 

 efpecially looks for Thiftles , of which he is a great lover. But it is more admi- 

 rable to confider with what patience they endure drowth : For one time that I 

 crofs'd over the Dcfcrts , where we were 65 days upon the Road , our Camels were 

 nine days without Drink. But what is more wonderful is this, that when the 

 Camel is in the heat of Generation , he neither eats nor drinks for 40 days together \ 

 and he is then fo furious , that without great care you cannot avoid being bitten 

 by him : And where-ever he bites, he carries away a piece of the Flefh. At that 

 time iflues out of their Mouths a white Foam , befides that there appears on each 

 fide of their Chops two Bladders large and fwelPd , like the Bladder of a Boar. 



In the Spring time all the Camel's Hair falls off in three days. The Skin remains 

 bare , and then the Flies are very troublefom. There is no way but to Tar them all 

 over : though it be a ventrous thing to come near them at that time. 



A Camel muft be dreft as well as a Horfe ^ but the Camel-keeper never ufes any 

 Curry-comb , but only beats him all over with a Imall Wand , as Carpets are wont to 

 be duftcd. If a Camel be hurt or gall'd under the Pack-foddle, they never apply 

 any thing to it, but only wafh it well with Urine, without ufing any other Re- 

 medy. 



G There 



