THE CAMEL AND DROMEDARY. 



this inftincT: is given it, to chafe away the almoft innumerable fwarms of 

 infects with which the waters of warm climates abound, which, if fwallowed 

 with the water, mull inevitably corrupt and render it unfit for keeping. In 

 this refervoir the water remains perfectly fweet, and unmixed with the other 

 aliments, till the animal has occalion to ufe it, when, by a contraction of the 

 mufcles, he is enabled to force fome of it into the other ftomachs, to macerate 

 the dry food they contain. As the Camel drinks but feldom, he takes a large 

 quantity, and it is not unufual for travellers, when they want water, to kill 

 a Camel for the fake of what he contains, which is always found to be 

 perfe&ry fweet and wholefome. The Camel can difcover water, by the fcent, 

 at the diftance of half a league, and, after a long abftinence, will haften 

 towards it, before the driver is aware that it is near. Its general pace, when 

 on a journey, is a flow, uneafy walk, at the rate of about four miles an hour 

 when loaded ; it cannot be prevailed on to quicken its pace by blows, but 

 goes freer! with gentle ufage, and feems much enlivened by the found of a 

 pipe, or any mufic. In this manner the common fort will travel about thirty 

 miles in a day, and when arrived at a ftage, which is generally fome verdant 

 fpot, where water and flirubs are plentiful, it lies down to be unloaded, and 

 is then turned loofe to feed and reft itfelf. The Camel does not wafte much 

 time at its meals, but will eat as much in one hour as will ferve him for 

 twenty-four ; the coarfeft weeds and fhrubs are its delicacies, and it prefers 

 the nettle, thiftle, and prickly caflia, to the fofteft pafture. Thofe who have 

 often travelled the fame track, will direct their courfe always right, even 

 when their drivers are quite at a lofs. 



There are feveral varieties of the Camel. The Turkoman is the largelt 

 and ftrongeft, the Arabian the hardier!, that which is called the Dromedary, 

 Maihary, and Raguahl, is the fwifteft, and being more delicately lhaped, 

 and inferior in fize, is never fufFered to carry merchandize, but is ufed to ride 

 on, and fome will travel an hundred miles in one day, and hold it for nine 

 days together, over burning deferts, where no other creature can exift. 



All parts of this animal are ufeful to its mafter : with the hair, which is 

 very long, in winter they fabricate beautiful Huffs for various ufes. Of the 



