b 
| has long ceased to exist in its wild or natural 
| 
658 
organization. The fact of the descent in exogens 
is easily and popularly demonstrated by the na- 
tural formation of a tumour or vegetable ac- 
cumulation immediately above a tightly fastened 
ligature; and the direction of the descent, opposite 
to that of the sap’s ascent, is demonstrated by 
the formation of such a tumour on the side of the 
ligature next the leaves of an inverted branch, 
such as the branch of a weeping ash or weeping 
willow. The cause of the descent is partly ex- 
plicable on chemical principles, and receives some 
illustration from the endosmose and exosmose of 
Dutrochet ; yet has been the subject of very con- 
flicting theories and of some monstrously absurd 
speculations on the part of phytologists, and can- 
not possibly be understood without reference to 
the grand principle which the pride and the 
sneaking infidelity of a large proportion of the 
philosophy of the present day appears most anxi- 
ous to explain away,—the principle of life. “No 
cause that is merely either chemical or mechani- 
eal,” says the Rev. Mr. Keith—and we heartily 
concur with him—“ will ever be found to give a 
satisfactory explanation of the movement in ques- 
tion. It may be aided by chemical or mechanical 
causes, but not wholly effected by them, as it is 
essentially a movement resulting from life, and 
involving the agency of the vital energies and 
affinities of the plants.” 
CAMEL. A genus of mammiferous quadrupeds, 
of the ruminant order, characterized by their size ; 
the possession of incisive, canine and molar teeth ; 
the upper lip divided ; the neck long and arched ; 
by the absence of horns, and by having one or 
two humps or protuberances upon the back, and 
naked callosities at the joints of the leg, the in- 
ferior part of the breast, &c. The inferior ex- 
tremities terminate in two toes, which are not 
wholly covered by hoof, as they have only a small 
one at the extremity, and a sort of very hard, 
callous sole, common to both. There are six in- 
cisive and two canine teeth in the lower jaw; 
and, in the upper, there are two incisors in the 
intermaxillary bone, with one or two canine 
teeth on each side, which increase to a consider- 
able size with the increasing age of the animal. 
The camel is the only ruminant animal which 
has cutting teeth in the upper jaw. 
The native country of this genus is said to ex- 
tend from Mauritania to China, within a zone of 
900 or 1,000 miles in breadth, The common 
camel, having two humps, is only found in the 
northern part of this region, and exclusively from 
the ancient Bactria, now Turkestan, to China. 
The dromedary, or single-hump camel, is found 
throughout the entire length of this zone, on its 
southern side, as far as Africa and India. Not- 
withstanding this, the dromedary cannot sustain 
either the burning heat of the torrid, or the mild 
climate of the temperate zone, while the camel 
supports all the vicissitudes of climate with but 
little injury. It is highly probable that the camel 
CAMEL. 
state, as it has been enslaved by man from the 
earliest times of which we have record. Among 
the stock composing the wealth of the patriarch 
Job, we find 600 camels enumerated. 
Unlike the elephant, and other animals which 
cease to breed in a state of captivity, the camel 
is as prolific as if at liberty; and vast numbers 
are raised and employed throughout the Oriental 
countries, especially in the commerce carried on 
between the people residing in the vicinity of the 
great deserts. ‘To these people the camel serves 
in the place of ships, and other modes of convey- 
ance, being especially adapted by nature for the 
service in which it is employed. In regions 
where water is exceedingly scarce, and wells or 
springs are several days’ journey distant from 
each other, it would be impossible to traverse the 
country with the usual beasts of burthen. But 
the camel can abstain from drinking for seven or 
eight days together without injury—an impor- 
tant advantage, which is owing to the possession 
of a fifth pouch, or appendix to the stomach, des- 
tined to receive water, whenever it can be pro- 
cured, and capable of retaining it unchanged for 
along time. From this receptacle a portion of 
water can be thrown into the other stomachs or 
gullet when necessary, and thus avert the evils 
of thirst. Possessing strength and activity sur- 
passing that of most beasts of burthen, docile, 
patient of hunger and thirst, and contented with 
small quantities of the coarsest provender, the 
camel is one of the most valuable gifts of Provi- 
dence. There is nothing, however, in the external 
appearance of the animal to indicate the exist- 
ence of any of its excellent qualities. In form 
and proportions, it is very opposite to our usual 
ideas of perfection and beauty. A stout body, 
having the back disfigured with one or two 
humps; limbs long, slender, and seemingly too 
weak to support the trunk ; a long, slim, crooked 
neck, surmounted by a heavily-proportioned head, 
are all ill-suited to produce favourable impres- 
sions. Nevertheless, there is no creature more 
excellently adapted to its situation, nor is there 
one in which more of creative wisdom is displayed 
in the peculiarities of its organization. To the 
Arabs, and other wanderers of the desert, the 
camel is at once wealth, subsistence and protec- 
tion. Their strength and fleetness render their 
masters the terror of enemies, and secure them 
from pursuit—a few hours being sufficient to 
place leagues of trackless desert between them 
and their foes. The milk of the females furnishes 
the Arab with a large part of his nutriment. The 
flesh of the young animal is one of his greatest 
luxuries: of the skins, he forms. tents: the vari- 
ous sorts of hair, or wool, shed by the camel, are 
wrought into different fabrics ; and its dried dung 
constitutes excellent fuel, the only kind, indeed, 
to be obtained throughout vast extents of coun- 
try. 
In order to qualify camels for great exertions, 
and the endurance of fatigue, the Arabs begin to 
