to the
cold or wet, shaking in every limb if a drop of rain falls, shivering
painfully in the chilliness of the night air.

By-and-by the new hair begins to grow--fine, soft, curly wool that
gradually becomes long, thick, soft fur; and after this, the rain may
rain as much as it likes, the night air may be as chilly as it will, the
camel will not care a grain. In that armor of nature's providing he will
not shiver or shake any more.

The hair of a camel, on an average, will weigh about ten pounds. It is
said to be sometimes finer than silk, and longer than the wool of a
sheep. In the course of my reading, a short time ago, I met with an
account of a camel market in a town of Tartary especially noted for its
trade in that species of live stock.

In the centre of Blue Town, it seems, there is a large square, where the
animals are ranged in long rows together, their front feet raised upon
mud elevations constructed expressly for the purpose, the object of
which is to show off the size and height of the ungainly creatures.

The confusion and noise of this market are described as something
frightful and "indescribable," with the continual chattering of the
buyers and sellers disputing noisily over their bargains, in addition to
the wild shrieking of the camels, whose noses are pulled roughly to make
them show off their agility in rising and kneeling.

Nature has given the camel, you must remember, no means of defense
except its prolonged piercing cry, and a horrible sneeze of its own,
whereby the object of its hatred is sometimes covered with a mass of
filth from its mouth.

It can not bite its tormentor, and--at least the Tartar camel--seldom
kicks, or if it does, as seldom does any harm with that fleshy foot of
which I have told you already.

Can you wonder, then, that the air of Blue Town is made hideous with the
shrieking of the camels as, to test their strength, they are made to
kneel while one thing after another is piled on their backs, and made to
rise under each new burden, until they can rise no longer?

"Sometimes while the camel is kneeling a man gets upon its hind-heels,
and holds on by the long hair of its hump; if the camel can rise then,
it is considered an animal of superior power"--according to the writer
above quoted.

"The trade in camels is entirely conducted by proxy; the seller and the
buyer never settle the matter between themselves. They select different
persons to sell their goods, who p