342 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



CAMELS CEASE TO BE POETIC SHU'S OF THE DESERT IN PEKING: THEY ARE 



COMMONPLACE BEASTS OF BURDEN 



They are fine, shaggy, brown beasts, with an occasional white one — rather dirty white. 

 Usually their caravansary for the night is the pavement in front of the shop at which they 

 deliver their merchandise. 



Photographs by J. A. Muller 



"OTHER PECULIAR BREEDS OF THE EQUINE FAMILY" 



Thus speaks a historian of the Tatars in describing those "elusive little creatures of 

 Peking which arc neither horse, mule, nor ass, but subtle, indistinguishable mixtures" v -ce 

 text, page 335). 



