THE RUMINANT ORDER. 
231 
and strong animal merchandise finds its way from the remote 
countries of Asia as far as the eastern confines of Europe. The 
rich products of Arabia, ages past, were brought to Phoenicia on 
the hacks of Camels ; and in our time, in the same way, merchan- 
dise is borne to Alexandria, from whence it is distributed over 
the European continent. 
The better to fit the Camel for its arduous life, the Arab trains 
it to do without sleep, and to suffer all the extremes of hunger, 
thirst, and heat. A few days after its birth, its legs are bent 
under its stomach, and it is compelled to remain crouched upon 
the ground, laden with a suitable weight, which is gradually 
increased with its ag;e. As it arrives at maturity, its food is 
restricted, and given at longer intervals ; it is also practised in 
running and enduring severe exercise. 
Its natural abstemiousness, further developed by training, is 
so great that a Camel laden with from five to six hundred 
pounds weight, travelling eight or ten leagues a day under a 
burning sun, receives no other food than a few handfuls of grain, 
a limited number of dates, or a small pellet of maize paste. The 
Camel will often go eight or ten days without drinking ; but when 
the poor animal, after such a fast, approaches a pool of water, it 
scents it at a great distance, redoubles its pace, and eagerly pushes 
for the coveted necessary of life, and drinks for the past, the 
present, and alas ! too often, for a long future. 
The name of caravan (Fig. 74) has been given to companies 
formed in the desert by the assemblage of travellers, who thus, 
through numbers, avoid the insults and robberies of the brigands 
scattered around and over its immense confines. These caravans 
use Camels and Dromedaries for their beasts of burthen ; the 
former are loaded with the baggage and provisions, the latter 
are reserved to carry the travellers. Each is loaded according 
to its strength ; and the creatures know so well how much they can 
carry, that if too heavy a load be imposed, they refuse to stand up, 
or strike with their heads at those who surround them, uttering at 
the same time lamentable cries. When all are loaded and ready to 
start, an Arab, who acts as guide, precedes them, the Camels and 
the Dromedaries following in line. This guide sings a monotonous 
and modulated plaintive song, indicating to his attendants by the 
quickness or slowness of its measure, when they are to increase or 
