Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-12-13

more than the ass chooses thistles as q
delicacy. but people talk of the cactus
~ camel's food just as we do Of thlstles
for asses.
Its general food. however. Is a mix.
ture Of bran with the refuse of olives
out Of which the oil has been extracted
This Is spread out for II on mat. Di.
rectly II sees Its dinner being brought.
II exhibits great excitement, emitting
q strange. soft. nasal sound. something
between growl. and very loud purr.
1t kneels down very deliberately, bring.
Ing down the forelegs first and after.
wards the hind legs. and burrows Its
uOse into the mat.
Camels are said to be the most docile
animals imaginable. II Ii true that.
when they are walking the streets. they
shrink from contact with any one. and
will swerve aside II they meet even a
small child or a puppy. But this Is en-.
tirely on their own account, for they
have a dread Of being touched. except
by their drivers. They do not even like
70 be stroked. As they stalk about
with their noses high In air. and their
big. astonished eyes looking round
superclliously, they seem to say that
they are ready to carry big burdens and
go without food or drink, but that they
will tolerate no fnmillarities.
The pack-camel travels very slowly.
aud. until you are sufficiently reconciled
10 the motion to be able to doze on Its
back. you are constantly tempted to get
or and walk. II you want speed, you
must buy a racing camel. This seems
to belong to different creation. 1t Is
much taller, more alert. and more In.
tclligent. 1t can accomplish $50 miles
IN sixteen hours without undue effort
and. In the matter Of price, compares
with the pack camel as the thorough
bred does with the cab horse.
At the present day camels are used
Tor all sorts Of domestic purposes In
Africa. They may even be seen draw.
Ing plows In the interior Of the Regency
Of Tunis. You may remark woman
aud a camel harnessed to the same
piow. and you hesitate to decide which
Is the greater outrage. They are also
used for drawing water from the
strange. cumbersome, old-fashioned
wells Of North Africa.
Their chief use, however. Is for cara.
vans. You may behold them bringing
. In huge cases of dates from the GASES,
or you may see them with great tent
like structures of red silk upon their
backs These tents are for the convey.
ance of Arab women OF the upper class
es, who seek To maintain the privacy
OF the harem on journey. Two women
and some children are often accommo
dated on one camel. They have cush.
tons on which they can lie down and
even sleep. Ii Is stuffy, and II Is dark,
out they deem themselves well of In
escaping from the searching rays of the
burning sun.
IL is a strange sight 10 watch the ar
rival OF caravan from distance. IL
resembles a long snake, growing ever
bigger and bigger as II draws near. IL
always proceeds In the same order;
FIRST. the camels with huge packs OF
wool or esparto on each side of their
Dhckh' tiisi NdNdI'dic VI iltti 'H'H'
wiry donkeys, scarcely bigger than
large Newfoundland dogs also very
heavily laden. sometimes having a stout
man perched on their backs In addition
10 their own weight In merchandise;
then crowds Of men. on foot, carrying
nothing but long guns slung across
their shoulders; and. lastly, herd Of
halfragged women, grOanlng under
prodigious weights, and carrying their
children In a kind or sack behind them.
A camels age may be told by Its teeth
with certainty up TO eight years or even
twelve. From afteen to twenty 1t Is
old and we'll past its prime. Then II 10
often killed and eaten, Just as horse
Is In France.-Herbert Vivian. In Pear
sons Magazine.