A peculiarity in the digestive organs of some animals causes all those
who possess it to be thrown together into one large order, by
naturalists. They have no front teeth, except in the lower jaw, and in
place of them, the upper jaw is provided with a bony pad. A very few
have canine teeth, and their grinders are marked with double crescents.
They have two hoofs, but as the inside edge of these is flattened, they
look as if they had only one cleft down the middle, the foot underneath
is provided with elastic pads, connecting the toes together, and
extruding beyond them at the sides. These cushions at each step expand,
support the animal in yielding sand, and protect it on harder ground.
After they have taken their food, these Ruminantia, as they are called,
lie down, and remain in a state of complete repose, in order to chew it
a second time; and the process is thus accomplished: they have four
stomachs, the first is called the paunch, and is the largest of all;
into it descend the grass, herbs, and leaves, when first cropped and
imperfectly masticated. Thence the mass goes into the second stomach, or
honeycomb, so named, because its structure gives it the appearance of
that substance: it is small and globular, and by means of its cells,
squeezes the food into little balls, which are thrown up into the mouth
of the animal, to receive a second mastication, called "chewing the
cud." After this has been effected, it descends into the third stomach,
or the feck, which looks something like the several leaves of a book;
lastly it goes into the fourth stomach, which is merely wrinkled. It is
in this that real digestion takes place; all the previous labour having
been but a mere preparation for it, and indicated by the name of the
order, taken from a Latin word, signifying "to chew over."
It would seem impossible for any animals to be more useful to man than
the dog or the horse, yet these Ruminantia are still more precious to
him, for while they serve him as beasts of burden, or transport, they
perform agricultural labours and supply him generally with a variety of
food. Milk, butter, cheese, the very best meat, the strongest yet most
delicate leather, that most valuable commodity wool, hair, horn, and a
long list of utilities, all proceeding from them; while the extreme
beauty of many of the genera, and the sport they afford, contribute to
his mere pleasure, as well as his comfort.
The Camels and Dromedaries, which come first before me, are confined but
to a small portion of the earth's surface; they, however, in their more
confined sphere afford incalculable benefits. Without them we should not
be able to traverse those large plains of sand, which lie between the
different countries of Africa, and also of south-western Asia. Their
gaunt and angular form does not class them among the beauties to which I
have alluded; and the only pretensions which their outward appearance
can present for praise, is their admirable adaptation for the offices
which they have to perform. Their full, upper lip is cleft, their neck
is long, their eyes prominent and shaded with eye-lashes, their nostrils
are like slits, which they can close at pleasure; their body has one or
two humps on it, their legs have callous pads upon them, their feet are
large and spreading, and their hair hangs loosely upon them in patches.
That long, upper lip, however, when the hot blast of the desert almost
dries their mouth, plunges into the sand and finds momentary relief by
getting below the surface; that long ungainly neck raises the head so
that the prominent eyes may see objects in the far distance; those
nostrils are apertures to the most acute organs of smell, by which they
can even ascertain that water is near; those callous pads enable them to
kneel when they are to be laden, or mounted, and those ugly humps are
provisions of fat, which supply them with nourishment, if, during their
long journeys, there is a scarcity of provisions. One of their most
invaluable properties is the length of time which they can go without
drinking, owing to the large secretion of water in their honeycomb
stomach, while in times of intolerable privation, they may be killed,
and so save their masters from starvation.
The camel has two humps, the dromedary one; the last is the lightest and
the swiftest, and is generally chosen for riding, while the former
carries the burdens. High saddles are placed on their backs; and it
requires either to be used to them, or to be particularly careful not to
be half killed at starting. The rider places himself in the saddle while
the animals are kneeling; and, when they raise their hind legs, which
they do first of all, they send the unprepared traveller forwards, and
his breath is almost taken out of him by the blow which he receives upon
his chest; then as they get upon their fore legs they throw him back,
so as to endanger his spine. Their pace is at first very disagreeable,
being so long and slouching; but, generally speaking, they are extremely
docile and affectionate; they, however, will not stir if they think they
are overloaded, and if they are made angry, they are furious, especially
against each other, quarreling much more frequently with their own
species than they do with man. Their owners are always very careful to
see that their humps are in good condition before they set off on a
journey, and some varieties are preferred to others on account of their
being able to bear a longer period of drought. They are generally
decorated with bells, the sounds of which, in their desert journeys, are
said to be very agreeable to them. If once they fall from fatigue or
sickness they seldom rise again; but, as a whole party, particularly
when every day's provision of water is measured, cannot be stopped for
one, they are left alone to die; their eyes following the masters who
are obliged to abandon them, and whom they have served so faithfully;
the vultures, already hovering over them, ready to pick their bones as
soon as they have sent forth their last breath. Their spine, when again
found, is often raised upon a pole, as a charm against the withering
spell of the evil eye.
The load of a camel is about 800 lbs., and their usual pace nearly three
miles an hour; but at this rate they continue for nine or ten hours.
Their colour is chiefly a reddish brown, or grey, rarely black; and
occasionally white. They are natives of the countries which they
inhabit; the dromedary coming from Arabia and Africa, the camel from the
middle of Asia, to the north of the Himalaya mountains. They are said to
harbour revenge; but, if this be once gratified, they soon return to
good humour.