feet high when it enters the world, but in 

 a week's time is much larger. It is able 

 to follow its mother soon after birth. She 

 will defend her own to the extent of her 

 strength if needful. 



The Camel is a true animal of the des- 

 ert and only thrives in hot, dry localities. 

 It is of little use in a mountainous coun- 

 try, as it is a poor climber and cannot re- 

 main in health when fed on luxuriant 

 vegetation. 



In the water it is of still less use. Per- 

 haps because the desert is its "native 

 heath," it holds an antipathy for water 

 and either cannot or will not swim, so the 

 crossing of a stream with a caravan be- 

 comes a serious undertaking. Sir Sam- 

 uel Baker recounts his experience in 

 crossing the Atbara river (about three 

 hundred yards wide. "Water-skins 

 were inflated and passed under the belly 

 of the Camel like a girth. A man sat 

 upon its back while one or two swam bv 

 its side as guides. As the current of the 

 river was rapid, the animal was usually 

 half a mile down stream before gaining 

 the opposite bank." 



Some time after we became acquainted 



with the one-humped Camel (the Drome- 

 dary) of Africa, our journeyings took us 

 to the regious of Central Asia and there 

 we met for the first time the Bactrian or 

 two-humped Camel. This varies some- 

 what from the Dromedary as it has a 

 larger body, shorter legs, longer and 

 thicker hair and is able to live in a cooler 

 climate and at a greater elevation. Al- 

 though stupid in intellect, like the Drome- 

 dary, we must give it the credit of having 

 a much better disposition. It is of the 

 greatest use to its owners. Its hair, milk, 

 skin and flesh are all put to use. It is not 

 only used as a pack animal, but is har- 

 nessed to carts as well. Put to use when 

 five years old, it will, with good treat- 

 ment, continue to work until its twenty- 

 fifth year. With its help, its owner is 

 able to climb mountains thirteen thou- 

 sand feet high, and to cross treeless wil- 

 dernesses where horses would soon per- 

 ish. It could not be replaced by any 

 other domestic animal. "The horse is 

 the companion of the inhabitant of the 

 steppes," but the Bactrian Camel, the 

 "Ship of Asia," is his faithful servant. 



John Ainslie. 



THE HILL SUMMIT. 



This feast-day of the sun, his altar there 



In the broad west has blazed for vesper-song; 

 And I have loitered in the vale too long 



And gaze now a belated worshipper. 



Yet may I not forget that I was 'ware, 

 So journeying, of his face at intervals 

 Transfigured where the fringed horizon falls, — 



A fiery bush with coruscating hair. 



And now that I have climbed and won this height, 

 I must tread downward through the sloping shade 



And travel the bewildered tracks till night. 

 Yet for this hour I still may here be stayed 

 And see the gold air and the silver fade 



And the last bird fly into the last light. 



Dante Gabriel Rossetti. 



232 



