36 
THE YOUNG CAMEL PROGRESS. 
tlie life of toil and pain that was before the little 
delicate, ungainly thing. It is worth noticing, that 
the foal of the camel is frolicsome only for a few 
days after its birth — soon becoming sombre in aspect 
and solemn in gait. As if to prepare it betimes for 
the rough buffeting of the world, the nagah never 
licks or caresses its 3^oung, but spreads its legs to 
lower the teat to the eager lips, and stares at the 
horizon, or continues to browse. 
Our people clubbed together and bought a goat 
for a mahboub. They then divided it into five lots, 
and an equal number of thongs was selected by the 
five part-owners of the meat ; these were given to a 
stranger not concerned in the division, and he arbi- 
trarily placed one upon each piece, from which 
decision there was no appeal. 
On the 14th we rose before daybreak, and were 
soon in motion. 'No change was noticed in the coun- 
try, limestone rocks and bi'oad valleys running in all 
directions. The ground is sometimes scattered with 
fossil shells, some of tlie exogyra, others of the oyster 
species ; all flints. There were apparent traces of 
the hysena, but of no other wild animals. Some 
sheep were at graze ; and the long stubble of last 
year's crop of barley, in irregular patches, told us 
that when there is copious rain the Arabs come to 
these parts for agricultural purposes. We noticed 
the English hedge-thorn here and there, and thought 
of the green lanes of our native land. 
Nine hours' journey brought us to the valley of 
