7 4 
CAMEL. 
without showing the least symptom of discontent. 
They are seldom depressed, except when, travelling 
across the extensive deserts, their reservoir of water 
becomes exhausted, without any chance of a speedy 
supply : then indeed their sufferings are great, they 
become feeble, and their weakened limbs are scarcely 
able to support them on their journey. In this famish- 
ed state they will scent the water at a great distance : 
thirst makes them double their pace, and they drink 
as much at once as will satisfy them for what they 
have suffered, and supply them for the time to 
come. 
The camel that carries Mahomet’s standard, which 
the caravans of pilgrims offer yearly on the tomb of 
their prophet, is exempted the rest of its life from 
all services. It is even pretended that this happy 
beast will rise again at the general resurrection, and 
enjoy the pleasures of paradise. 
The callosities which appear on different parts 
of the camel’s body are entirely owing to his lying- 
down when he takes up his burthen. His feet are 
adapted for walking on sands, but he cannot sup- 
port himself on moist or slippery ground. The 
general height of a full-sized camel is about six 
feet six inches to the top of the bunch. A Eu- 
ropean feels awkward upon first mounting one of 
these beasts, as he rises on his hind legs at first 
very briskly, and throws him first forward and then 
backward; and it is not till the fourth motion, when 
the animal is entirely erect, that the rider can find 
himself in equilibrio. Denon says, “ It was enter- 
