chap, iv.] CLEVERNESS OF TEE DONKEYS. 155 
squeezed out of it. The donkey is a much more cal¬ 
culating animal than the camel, the latter being an 
excessively stupid beast, while the former is remarkably 
clever—at least I can answer for the ability of the 
Egyptian species. The expression “ what an ass ! ” is 
in Europe supposed to be slightly insulting, but a 
comparison with the Egyptian variety would be a com¬ 
pliment. Accordingly my train of donkeys, being calcu¬ 
lating and reasoning creatures, had from this night’s 
experience come to the conclusion that the journey 
was long ; that the road was full of ravines ; that the 
camels who led the way would assuredly tumble into 
these ravines unless unloaded; and that as the re¬ 
loading at each ravine would occupy at least half an 
hour, it would be wise for them (the donkeys) to 
employ that time in going to sleep—therefore, as it 
was just as cheap to lie down as to stand, they pre¬ 
ferred a recumbent posture, and a refreshing roll upon 
the sandy ground. Accordingly, whenever the word 
“ halt ” was given, the clever donkeys thoroughly un¬ 
derstood their advantage, and the act of unloading a 
camel on arrival at a ravine was a signal sufficient to 
induce each of twenty-one donkeys to lie down. It 
was in vain that the men beat and swmre at them to 
keep them on their legs; the donkeys were determined, 
and lie down they would. This obstinacy on their 
