CAMEL. The camel is an important ad junct to trade and cconmeree in tropical sandy regions. The organization of this animal proves its adaptation for the arid deserts over which it is destined to travel. The pads, or sole-cushions of the spreading feet, divided into two toes without being externally sepa rated, which buoy up, as it were, the whole bulk with their expansive elasticity from sink ing in the sand, on which the animal advances with silent step葉he nostrils so formed that the animal can close them at will, so as to exclude the drift sand and the parching aimoom葉he beetling brow, and long lashes which fringe the upper lid, so as to screen the eyes froM the glare of the sun葉he cleft pre hensile tipper lip, and the powerful upper in cisor teeth, for browsing on the dry tough prickly shrubs of the desert葉he hunch acting as a reservoir of nutriment against a time of long abstinence預nd the assemblage of water tanks in the stomach葉hese are characteristics without which the ship of the desert) could net render his invaluable services to man.
The Bactrian, or two-hunzped came), occurs throughout Central Asia ; it is the patient, laborious, and willing slave of the Tureomans, travelling over sandy deserts, and administer ing to the wants of a wandering people. The Arabian, or single-humped camel, or drome dary, is spread through Egypt, Arabia, Syria, North Africa, Persia, India, &T., and its his
tory is interwoven with that of the patriarchs of old, nor is it now less important than in those early days. Caravans of camels still traverse the desert, conveying merchandise. The load of a camel is from 500 to 600 lbs., and it will move at the rate of nearly 3 miles an hour, regularly as clock-work, day after day, for eight hours daily. It lies dow'. rest ing on the callosities of its breast and limbs, to be loaded and unloaded. In the oriental caravans some of the animals are loaded with water skins, some with merchandise, others carry the food and necessaries of the pilgrims and their own provender, and others are mounted by riders.
The camel is not only serviceable as a beast of burden ; its milk and flesh are both in re quisition, especially the former. Of its hair the Arab weaves clothing, and even tents ; his belt and sandals are the produce of its hide; and the dung affords him fuel. From the soot, sublimated in closed vessels, is pro cured sal ammoniac, formerly imported into this country from Egypt. Camel's hair is im ported into this country for the manufacture of pencils for the painter ; that from Persia is the best. There are three qualities, black, red, and gray; the black is most valuable, next the red; the gray is very inferior.