St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1885-06-06

be supposed to be entirely without sem
timent. When kindly treated, when
patted on the shoulder, when gently
spoken to, but more especially when
treated to song, the dromedary will
exhibit strong signs of pleasure in his
prominent eye. will turn round his long
snake-like neck. look at You stead
fastly, as if to express his thanks, and
then gaze forth upon the outspread
desert more proudly than before.
The load for camel in India is fixed
by the Government at $50 pounds; in
Arabia it varies from $50 to 400 pounds;
in Persia from 500 to 600 pounds; in
Egypt it averages 800 pounds, while,
according to Tavernier, the Turconan
camels will carry as much as 1,500
pounds weight Where the road is toll
erably good the burden camels of car
avan are tied to each other, the
moose rope of one being fastened to the
the tail of another, and so they march
on, three to ten in a string. in single
file, and such creatures of routine are
they that a camel will refuse to proceed
if the camel before him is changed for
another. In Egypt caravans move
abreast, and one of fifty camels will
show front for a mile in extent. The
pilgrim caravan pursues its route prin-
cipally during the night, lighted on its
way with torches. 1t has been shorn OF
much of its splendor in modern times.
Bagdad's celebrated ruler per-
formed the pilgrimage to the Proph-
cts shrine no less than nine times,
al 0nn
of that enormous number being en-
ployed in carrying Haroun's wardrobe.
The Sultan of Egypt was accompanied
by 500 camels laden with sweetmeats,
and 2S0 bearing pomegranates and
other fruits. Every year the Sultan of
Turkey sends mahmal-a beautiful
covering for the shrine of Mohammed-
to Mecca. The camel honored by being
chosen for carpet beareris magnificently
adorned with ribbons, lace, feathers
and initiative gems. When Hasselquist
saw the procession start from Cairo in
1850 this favored beast carried pyra-
midal pavilion six feet high. covered
with green silk, under which the NAH
NAL was supposed to lie; but, like other
great officials, the carpet camel did his
work by deputy, the precious gift being
actually carried by some of his less
fortunate brethren. As a reward for
mot doing it." the mahmal camel be-
comes exempt from all labor for the
rest of his life, which is passed in a
lodging provided for his special use,
and he has servants to wait upon him,
and due provision made for his susten-
ance.
The camel has served other purpose.
than those of commerce and religion
be has been pressed into the service of
warlike sovereigns. and employed not
only to carry the luggage of their
armies, but to draw scythed chariots
and to carry bowmen and swordsmen.
The legions of Xerxes suffered by their
camels being carried away by lions in
the night, and Cyrus defeated Crnsus
by craftily taking advantage of the an
tipathy the horse bears to the camel.
He mounted some of his soldiers on
camels,-and ordered them to charge the
famous Lydian light horse. The
chargers of the latter, rendered ungov-
ernable by fear, fled from the field, and
with them the hopes of the wealthiest of
monarchs. The time is possibly not
far distant when the camel will be
superseded by the great iron horse; but
as long as the Arab finds in him a use.
full servant, meat, drink, clothing and
fuel, we need not wonder at the faith OF
the true believer. who expects to find a
white-winged camel awaiting him as he
steps out of his sepulchre to convey his
soul to paradise.-Brooklyn Eagle.