364 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
from seizing her conductors with her teeth. Kicking, 
rearing, biting, and striking out with the fore legs, 
this interesting acquisition formed a startling picture 
of a lady’s pet. The question was serious. We 
could not return it, lest we should offend the donor; 
we could not let it run away (this wicked idea 
certainly passed through my mind), as it would be 
regarded as an insult; but how should we march 
this wild animal 270 miles to Souakim, and then 
ship to Suez ? 
Kindness might possibly accomplish this, and 
my wife took it in hand, to the horror of the Arabs, 
who would not approach it. 
The savage creature became so tame and affec¬ 
tionate after only three days’ personal care and 
handling, together with gifts of bread and pieces of 
sugar-cane, that all our people were delighted with 
the success. It marched to Souakim, being led by 
a halter, without the slightest trouble, and was 
delivered in Cairo to His Highness the Khedive 
Ismail. No one had ventured to mount its back. 
There is another animal whose importance to 
man cannot be over-estimated, and, although it 
cannot claim the distinction of a wild beast, it 
must not be omitted from our consideration, espe¬ 
cially as it is so frequently linked with the military 
operations of our army. This is the camel 
(Camelus). 
It has been debated amongst naturalists whether 
this animal has been actually proved to exist in a 
wild state. It has been asserted that wild camels 
