HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 137 



The Arabian regards his Camel as the moll precious 

 gift of Heaven ; by the aififtance of which he is enabled 

 to fubfilt in thofe frightful intervals of Nature, which 

 ferve him for an afylum, and fecure his independence. 



But it is not to the plundering Arab alone, that the 

 fervices of this ufeful quadruped are confined : In Tur- 

 key, Perfia, Barbary, and Egypt, every article of mer- 

 chandife is carried by Camels. Merchants and travellers 

 unite together, and form themfelves into numerous bo- 

 dies, called caravans, to prevent the infults of the Arabs. 

 One of thefe caravans frequently confifts of many thou- 

 fands j the Camels being always more numerous than 

 the .men. Each Camel is loaded in proportion to his 

 flrength. At the command of their conductor, they lie 

 down on their belly, with their legs folded under them, 

 and in this pofture receive their burden : As foon as they 

 are loaded, they rife of their own accord, and will not 

 fufFer any greater weight to be impofcd upon them than 

 they can bear with eafej when overloaded, they fet up 

 the moft piteous cries, till part of the burden be taken 

 off. The common load of a Camel is from three to four 

 hundred weight; and the medium of the expence of the 

 conveyance for each hundred appears to be about one 

 farthing per mile. The ufual rate of travelling is three 

 miles in the hour ; and the number of hours that are ac- 

 tually employed on the route, exclufive of thofe allotted 

 to refrefhment, is feldom more than feven or eight in a 

 day. Of the number of days which are confumed in a 

 long journey, many are devoted to the purpofes of occa- 

 fional trade, recruiting the flrength of the Camels, and 

 procuring additional ftores of provifions and water. — A 

 particular mode of eafy conveyance is provided for wo- 

 men and children, and for perfons oppreiTed with infir- 



