chap, vi.] THE HYGEEN , OR RIDING DROMEDARY. 173 
kneels by his load in the burning sand, and luxuriates 
in the glare of a sun that drives all other beasts to 
shelter. The peculiar spongy formation of the foot 
renders the camel exceedingly sure, although it is 
usual to believe that it is only adapted for flat, sandy 
plains. I have travelled over mountains so preci¬ 
pitous that no domestic animal but the camel could 
have accomplished the task with a load. This capa¬ 
bility is not shared generally by the race, but by a 
breed belonging to the Hadendowa Arabs, between 
the Red Sea and Taka. There is quite as great a 
variety in the breeds of camels as of horses. Those 
most esteemed in the Soodan are the Bishareen; they 
are not so large as others, but are exceedingly strong 
and enduring. 
The average value of a baggage camel among the 
Soodan Arabs is fifteen dollars, but a good “ hygeen,” 
or riding dromedary, is worth from fifty to a hundred 
and fifty dollars, according to his capabilities. A 
thoroughly good hygeen is supposed to travel fifty 
miles a day, and to continue this pace for five days, 
carrying only his rider and a small water skin or girba. 
His action should be so easy that his long ambling 
trot should produce that peculiar movement adopted 
by a nurse when hushing a child to sleep upon her 
knee. This movement is delightful, and the quick 
elastic step of a first-class animal imparts an invigorat¬ 
ing spirit to the rider, and were it not for the intensity 
of the sun, he would willingly ride for ever. The 
difference of action and of comfort to the rider between 
a common camel and a high class hygeen, is equal to 
that between a thoroughbred and a heavy dray horse. 
However, with all the good qualities of a “ Bisha¬ 
reen/' my best camel was dead. This was a sad loss. 
So long as my animals were well I felt independent, 
and the death of this camel was equal to minus five 
cwt. of luggage. My men were so idle that they paid 
no attention to the animals, and the watcher who had 
been appointed to look after the four camels had 
