THE CAMEL. 
134 
the circle formed by the recumbent camels- 
The expense of maintaining these valuable 
creatures is very trifling : a barley cake, ^ 
few dates, a handful of beans, will suffice, 
addition to the hard and prickly shrubs whicl* 
they find everywhere but in the wildest diS' 
tricts of the desert.” 
The extraordinary scent of the camel 
ables him to discover water at a great diS' 
tance, and in the most arid tracts of the deser*' 
caravans are often preserved from destructioi* 
by this instinct. But when they have be^i’ 
long deprived of water, even these patiei’* 
animals, at the sight of it, will break 
halters by which they are led, and, rushing 
stumbling down the banks, will throw off the'*^ 
loads and occasion great disorder. 
Of all domestic quadrupeds the camel 
perhaps the most tame and submissive. 
kneels down to be loaded and unloaded, 
when overburdened makes the most piteoi*^ 
