chap, iv.] CLEVERNESS OF THE DONKEYS, 105;: 
squeezed out of it. The donkey is a much more caffi 
collating animal than the camel, the latter being am 
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 w^ould 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 swore at them to 
keep them on their legs ; the donkeys were determined, 
and lie down they would. This obstinacy on their 
part was serious to the march—every time that they 
lay down they shifted their loads; some of the most 
wilful persisted in rolling, and of course upset their 
packs. There were only seventeen men, and these 
were engaged in assisting the camels; thus the twenty- 
one donkeys had it all their own way; and what added 
to the confusion ^as the sudden cry of hyenas in close 
proximity, which so frightened the donkeys that they 
immediately sprang to their feet, with their packs 
lying discomfited, entangled among their legs. Thus, 
no sooner were the camels re-loaded on the other side 
the ravine, than all the donkeys had to undergo the 
same operation;—during which time the camels, how- 
