The animals for which Arabia is famous are animals to ride upon.

Two of them are often seen in England; though here they are not nearly as
fine as in Arabia; but the third animal is never used in England. Most
English boys have ridden upon an ass. In Arabia the ass is a handsome and
spirited creature. The horse is strong and swift, and yet obedient and
gentle. The camel is just suited to Arabia. His feet are fit to tread
upon the burning sands; because the soles are more like India-rubber than
like flesh: his hard mouth, lined with horn, is not hurt by the prickly
plants of the desert; and his hump full of fat is as good to him as a bag
of provisions: for on a journey the fat helps to support him, and enables
him to do with very little food. Besides all this, his inside is so made
that he can live without water for three days.

A dromedary is a swifter kind of camel, and is just as superior to a
camel as a riding-horse is to a cart-horse.

THE THREE PRODUCTIONS OF ARABIA.

These are coffee, dates, and gums.

For these Arabia is famous.

The coffee plants are shrubs. The hills are covered with them; the white
blossoms look beautiful among the dark green leaves, and so do the red
berries.

The dates grow on the palm-trees; and they are the chief food of the
Arabs. The Arabs despise those countries where there are no dates.

There are various sweet-smelling gums that flow from Arabian trees.

THE THREE PARTS OF ARABIA.

You see from what I have just said that there are plants and trees in
Arabia. Then it is clear that the whole land is not a desert. No, it is
not; there is only a part called Desert Arabia; that is on the north.
There is a part in the middle almost as bad, called Stony Arabia, yet
some sweet plants grow there; but there is a part in the south called
Happy Arabia, where grow abundance of fragrant spices, and of
well-flavored coffee.

THE THREE CITIES OF ARABIA.

Arabia has long been famous for three cities, called Mecca, Medina, and
Mocha.

_Mecca_ is considered the holiest city in the world. And why? Because the
false prophet Mahomed was born there. On that account Mahomedans come
from all parts of the world to worship in the great temple there.
Sometimes Mecca is as full of people as a hive is full of bees.

Of all the cities in the East, Mecca is the gayest, because the houses
have windows looking into the streets. In these houses are lodgings for
the pilgrims.

And what is it t