XXVII 
CONCLUSION 
371 
walked 5000 miles in 100 consecutive days, making 
an average of 50 miles a day throughout that 
lengthened period, the performance of the hygeen 
does not appear remarkable; but Weston could eat 
and drink when he pleased. The wonderful 
advantage of the hygeen lies in this : that a certain 
distance is absolutely devoid of water or forage, it 
therefore would take three days of forced marching, 
during which the baggage camels must carry their 
own food, in addition to their loads ; the hygeen 
does this in one day! Wonders may be accom¬ 
plished in desert travelling with camels if properly 
managed ; but we usually challenge misfortune by 
committing the charge of these animals to those 
who are perfectly ignorant of their habits or 
character. 
Sometimes the male camel is exceedingly vicious, 
especially at the rutting season, which is announced 
by the excretion of an oily fluid like coal-tar from 
the back of the neck. When angry at this 
period, it blows a large bladder from the 
mouth, which remains distended for more than a 
minute before it disappears. I have seen a male 
camel attack the people in every direction 
(fortunately hobbled); and although they beat it 
with thick bamboos, it was in noways cowed. 
The bite of a camel is very severe, and fatal 
accidents have occasionally resulted from the periods 
of excitement in the male. The teeth of the camel 
are peculiar. Cuvier thus describes them :—“ They 
have not only always canines in both jaws, but have 
