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TRAVELS IN AFRldA. Chap. XXVIL 
away at the same time. About an hour later, 
being too much excited from anxiety to obtain sleep, 
I went out once more to see if all was right, 
when I saw my favourite coming slowly along 
towards the tent ; and on reaching it he laid 
down by the side of his two inferior companions. 
There was no moonlight ; the night was very dark ; 
evidently only the brightness of the well-known 
white tent guided the " stupid " animal. But this 
was no great proof of stupidity; and I am rather 
afraid that Europeans often make camels stupid by 
their own foolish treatment of them, whereas I was 
wont to treat this noble animal, which had car- 
ried myself or the heaviest of my things all the way 
from Tripoli, as a sensible companion, giving it in 
the beginning the peel of the oranges I was eating, 
of which it was particularly fond, or a few of my 
dates (for which it did not fail to turn round its 
beautiful neck), or granting it a little extra feed of 
Negro millet, which it ate like a horse. Rejoiced at 
seeing my favourite, the absence of which had cre- 
ated such anxiety, returning of its own accord to my 
tent, and lying down near it, I aroused my servant 
from his sleep to tell him the joyful news. I wanted 
to reward it with some corn, but it had taken such 
good care of itself, that it refused its favourite food. 
I was much grieved in consequence of being obliged 
to part with my old companion ; but camels from the 
coast will not stand the effects of a rainy season in 
Negroland. I hoped it would safely return to its 
