# The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier/Persian Travels/Book 1/Chapter 11

CHAP. XI.
Of the breeding, nature, and several sorts of Camels.
The Female Camel bears her Burthen eleven Months; and her Milk is a sovereign Remedy against the Dropsie. You must drink a Pint of it every Day for three Weeks together: and I have seen several Cures wrought thereby at Balsara, Ormus, and in other places in the Persian Gulf, upon several English and Holland Mariners.
So soon as a Camel comes into the World, they fold his Feet under his Belly, and make him lye upon them; after that they cover his Back with a Carpet that hangs to the Ground, laying Stones upon each side, so that he may not be able to rise; and thus they leave him for fifteen or twenty days. In the mean time they give him Milk to drink, but not very often; to the end he may be accustom'd to drink little. This they do also to use them to lye down, when they go about to Lade them; at which time they will fold their Legs and lye down so obediently, that it is an admirable thing to consider. So soon as the Caravan comes to the place where it is to lye, all the Camels that belong to one Master will range themselves in a Circle, and lye down upon their fore Feet; so that it is but untying one Cord that holds the Bales, and they will slide off gently from each side of the Camel. When 'tis time to lade again, the same Camel comes and crouches down between the two Burthens, and when they are fasten'd, gently rises up with the Burthen again; which is done without any trouble or noise. When the Camels are unladen, they let them go a-field to feed upon the Heath and Bushes, and half an hour before Sun-set they return of themselves, unless any one happen to wander; which they will call again with a certain Cry which is natural to them. When they return, they range themselves in a Circle, and the Muleters give to every one little Balls of Barley-meal kneaded, as big as two Fists. The Camel though he be of a large bulk, eats very little, contented with what he meets with upon the Heaths; where he more especially looks for Thistles, of which he is a great lover. But it is more admirable, to consider with what patience they endure drowth: For one time that I cross'd over the Deserts, where we were 65 days upon the Road, our Camels were nine days without Drink. But what is more wonderful is this, that when the Camel is in the heat of Generation, he neither eats nor drinks for 40 days together; and he is then so furious, that without great care you cannot avoid being bitten by him: And where-ever he bites, he carries away a piece of the Flesh. At that time issues out of their Mouths a white Foam, besides that there appears on each side of their Chops two Bladders large and swell'd, like the Bladder of a Boar.
In the Spring time all the Camel's Hair falls off in three days. The Skin remains bare, and then the Flies are very troublesom. There is no way but to Tar them all over: though it be a ventrous thing to come near them at that time.
A Camel must be drest as well as a Horse; but the Camel-keeper never uses any Curry-comb, but only beats him all over with a small Wand, as Carpets are wont to be dusted. If a Camel be hurt or gall'd under the Pack-saddle, they never apply any thing to it, but only wash it well with Urine, without using any other Remedy.
​There are two sorts of Camels; the one which is proper for hot Countries, the other for cold Countries.
The Camels in hot Countries, such as go from Ormus to Ispahan, cannot travel if the Ground be dirty and slippery, for their Bellies burst, while their hinder Quarters rive from their Bodies. These are small Camels, that carry not above five or six hundred Pound weight; but they are kept for little, and endure Thirst a long time. They do not tye them Head to Tayl, as they do the great ones, but let them go as they please themselves, like a Herd of Cows. The Camel-driver follows them singing, and sometimes playing upon his Pipe: the louder he sings and pipes, the faster the Camels go; nay they will stand still when he gives over his Musick. When the Camel-drivers come to a Heathy Ground, they will give them leave to feed for half an hour, taking their Tabacco the while; and then singing them together again, they set forward. The Camels bred in the Deserts are handsom, but very tender, so that they must be gently us'd, and never be put upon long Journies. However, they eat and drink less than others, and endure thirst more patiently.
The Camels of cold Countries, such as those that travel from Tauris to Constantinople, are large Camels, that carry great Burthens, and will pull themselves out of the dirt: But in fat Grounds and slippery Ways the Drivers are fain to spread Carpets, sometimes an hundred one behind another; otherwise their hinder Quarters are also apt to rive from their Buttocks: but if the Road be slippery for too great a distance together, there is no way but to tarry 'till it be dry'd up and fair. These Camels usually carry a thousand Pound weight: but if the Merchant has any hank upon the Camel-driver, he will lay upon every Camel fifteen hundred weight, thereby making two of three Burthens. This the Merchants do, when they come near the Custom-Houses, especially that of Erzerom, which is the most severe. The Merchant does this for his own Profit: So that when the Customer mistrusting, demands how so many Camels come to travel empty, he makes answer, that they were Camels that carry'd Provision: But the Customer most commonly winks at that good Husbandry of the Merchant, for fear of losing his Custom, and obliging the Merchant to take another Road.
There is as much knavery among the Camel-drivers, as among our Horse-Coursers. For I remember, that being once at Casbin, a Persian Merchant, thinking he had bought eight good Camels, was deceiv'd in four which he thought the best: He verily believing they had been fat and in good case, but they were only blown up. For those Cheats have a trick to cut a Hole near the Tail, of which the Purchaser takes no notice, and which they know neatly how to sow up again: In this Hole they will blow till they have puft up a lean Camel, that he shall appear as fat and plump as the soundest that ever fed: whereby they often deceive the quickest sights, especially when the Hair is all off, and that the bare Skin is all rub'd over with Tar.