[Illustration: THE CAMEL.]

[Decoration]

CAMELS.

The Bactrian camel may be at once known by the two humps upon its
back, which give the animal a most singular appearance.

This species is a native of Central Asia, China, and Thibet, and is
generally as useful in those countries as is the dromedary in Arabia,
being employed for the saddle, for draught, and burden. It is,
however, chiefly employed for the second of those purposes, and is of
the greatest service to its owners.

The vehicle to which this camel is generally harnessed is a rude cart
of wood, ingeniously put together, without a particle of iron, and,
after the fashion of such structures, shrieking, creaking, and
groaning as the wheels turn on their roughly-made and ungreased axle.
The drivers, however, care nothing for the hideous and incessant
noise, and probably are so accustomed to it, that they would not feel
at home with a cart whose wheels moved silently. The mode of
harnessing is precisely that which so simple a vehicle requires. From
the front of the cart projects a pole, and to this pole are hitched a
pair of camels by a yoke that passes over their shoulders. In fact,
the entire harness is nothing more than a wooden yoke and a leathern
strap.

In spite, however, of the rude machine to which they are attached, and
the great loss of power by the friction of the badly-fitted wheels,
the animals can draw very heavy weights for considerable distances. A
burden of three thousand pounds' weight is an ordinary load for a pair
of camels, and a peculiarly strong yoke of these animals will draw
nearly four thousand pounds' weight. This camel is commonly yoked in
pairs.

For the plough the camel is never employed, not because it is not
sufficiently strong for the task, but because it does not pull with
the steadiness needed to drag the ploughshare regularly through the
ground.

Sometimes, however, the Bactrian camel is employed as a beast of
burden, the bales being slung at each side, and the water-skins
suspended below the belly. When the animal is employed for this
purpose, a kind of pack-saddle is used, somewhat similar in shape to
that which has already been described in the history of the one-humped
camel, but necessarily modified in its structure. The owner of the
camel takes great care not to overload his animal, as he is afraid of
injuring the humps, and thereby detracting from the value of the
camel.

[Illustration: CAMEL OF A TAR