and Antioch, a distance of about 560 miles. And it may be
added, as another case of endurance which came under the
knowledge of the writer, that a Russian gentleman went from
El Arish to Jerusalem in two days, with merely one relay at
Gaza; but he was in motion about 21 hours of the 24 each
day. On several occasions of late, the mails have been carried
from Baghdad to Damascus, in the short period of seven
days,1 a distance of about 482 miles; and Burckhardt gives
an instance of 115 miles having been accomplished by an
Egyptian hajin in the space of 11 hours.2
But owing to the expense of keeping and training, such
animals are rather rare; and we frequently find large tribes,
without even one of the swift kind. Those of Nedjd are in
very high estimation; but the best, according to Edrisi, belong
to the people called Mehret or Mahrak, among whom the
animal is taught to understand what is to be done, and to distinguish
the name by which he is called.3 In this part of the
country, the camel is fed upon a kind of dried fish.4
Besides the Bactrian camel, the Turkomans have a mule
breed between this and the Arabian animal, with a hump
which can neither be called single nor double, though more
near the latter than the former. This is a large, useful, and
highly prized animal, capable of transporting from 1,000 to
1,200 lbs. with ease ; but the creature is short-lived, and the
Arabs do not breed from him; giving as a reason, that the
progeny are intractable, and bad-tempered.
The ordinary Arabian camel usually carries a burthen of
5 or 600 lbs., to receive which, he is accustomed to kneel
down, and having a joint more in his hinder legs than most
animals, he is enabled to double them beneath his body in a
peculiar manner. In Egypt, and some other places, he is used
for draught, and his power would be great, if he were properly
trained, and provided with suitable harness; this would, however,
be attended with some difficulty, on account of the shape
1 Under the directions of Mr. Farren, then Consul-General for Syria, and
subsequently under the care of Mr. Werry, the Consul at Damascus.
2 Beddwin and Wahhdbi, p. 262.
3 Edrisi, par Jaubert, tome V., p. 150. 4 Ibid
of the chest. Captain Sadleir speaks of the employment of the
camel at Remah in Nedjd, in drawing water from deep wells;
and the guns of the Páshá were drawn by camels from the
shores of the Red Sea, to Der’ayyah, when that place was
besieged,1 Lieutenant Wellsted also mentions their being used
in ’Omán for the former purpose.2 Camels are occasionally
put to the plough in Afghanistan, and they sometimes work
the water-pulleys on the borders of Arabia. We applied, as
an experiment, six camels to one of the heavy carriages of the
Expedition, and they appeared to answer the purpose.
Next, in point of utility, but first in estimation, is the horse,
an animal displaying those qualities which might be expected
from him in his original country. Elsewhere, individuals of
this species may be more showy, and even more powerful, but
it is only in Arabia that the horse is found in a state bordering
on perfection. Here he is remarkable for a small head
with pointed ears, peculiarly clean muscular limbs, a corresponding
delicate slender shape, rather small size, and large
animated eyes, expressing that intelligence which, as in the
dog, is the consequence of being constantly with the members
of his master’s family; in fact, he generally shares their
meals. He is frequently allowed to frolic through the camp
like a dog, and at other times he is piqueted at the entrance
of the tent; he is exposed to the weather at all times, and
compared with the treatment of his species in Europe, he is
scantily fed. A meal after sunset, consisting of barley, in
some parts of the country, and camel’s milk in others, or a
paste of dates and water, which in Nedjd is mixed with dried
clover and other herbs, constitutes his usual sustenance ; but
on any extraordinary exertion being required, flesh is frequently
given, either raw or boiled.
The Bedawins count five noble breeds of horses, all, it is
understood, derived originally from Nedjd, viz., the taneyse,
the manekeye, the koheyl or koklani, the sakláwye, and the
julfa; of which the last and the koklani are particularly
prized. The julfa, a small active animal, capable of enduring
1 See Transactions of the Bombay Literary Society, vol. III., p. 469.
2 Travels in ’Omán, &c., vol. I., p. 437.