The camel annually casts its hair in spring ; and in the space of three days is as bare as a sucking pig. During that Interval, the keeper is careful to tar it over, in order to preserve it against the annoyance of the flies. But the colour and abundance of hair depend entirely on the particular species of camel, and the climate which it in habits : that of the Arabian camel is thin and whitish ; that of the Bactrian camel thicker and darker coloured. From the hair a coarse kind of almost imper meable by water, is made for cannel-drivers and shep herds; and the same commodity, for an analogous pur pose, is used as wrappers of nierchandize long exposed to wet in heavy rains. But in Persia and the Crimea more valuable manufactures are produced in narrow cloths of different colours, and fine stockings, of which white are the highest priced. It is wrought into shawls, carpets, and coverings for the tents of the Arabs. Ac cording to Pallas, the Tartar women of the plains manu facture a kind of warm, soft, and light narrow cloth from the hair of the Bactrian or Tauridan camel, preserving the natural colour. The hair of different colours is en article of export from Asia and Africa: its value is pro portioned to the fineness and colour, that which is black being the dearest.
Besides being employed in carrying burdens and for the saddle, camels are trained for draught. The opu lent Tartars of the Crimea convey their families from place to place in large four-wheeled waggons drawn by camels ; and in some countries still farther east, they are used in dragging heavy clumsy carts.
The camel lives between forty and fifty years, but it is not unlikely that the duration of its life is dependent on the treatment which it receives. Sanguine hopes of
its naturalization in the warmer European climates have hitherto been disappointed; yet if the change could be gradually accomplished in only a few degrees of latitude to each succeeding generation, there would probably be a less effectual check to its propagation.
As Mahomet the prophet himself rode a camel, it is considered a sacred animal in the East, nor will his vo taries at all times admit of its being devoted to the ser vice of Christians. They seldom eat its flesh them selves, not so much from entertaining any scruples on the lawfulness of doing so, as from reluctance to sacrifice an animal so valuable to them ; but where fanatacisni prevails, selling it to Christians would be deemed profa nation. After the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the ca mel which carries the standard of Mahomet is ever after wards exempt from labour, and the Mahometans even believe that it will participate in the pleasures of a fu ture life.
Perhaps there is no animal of the same use to so large a portion of mankind as the camel ; its sustenance is scarcely perceptible, its labours arc unequalled, and it is besides an ample source, both of food and clothing. See Buffon Histoire Afraturelle, torn. xi. ; Russel's History of Aleppo, vol. ii.; Jackson's Account of Morocco; D'Ob sonville sur Ice Mcrurs des alninzaux; Pallas, Travels, tom. ii.; Philosophical Transactions, 1791, 1806; 'raver: flier, Voyages, tom. i. p. 129 ; Denon, Voyages dans 1' Egypte. (c)