Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/79

the business. This Proposal, that would have been accepted in Christendom, was rejected by those poor Mahometans; in so much that the Father tore his Beard, and the Women their Hair, crying out, That if it were the custom of the Franks to sell the Blood of their Kindred, it was not their custom so to do. When the rest of the kindred came with the Cafer to Schiras, the Kan did all he could to persuade the Widow to take Moneys but not being able to over-rule her, he was forc'd to give the Cafer into their hands: and how they us'd him I cannot tell, being constrain'd at the same time, to pass from Schiras for Ispahan.

The Female Camel bears her Burthen eleven Months; and her Milk is a sovereign Remedy against the Dropsie. You must drink a Pint of it every Day for three Weeks together: and I have seen several Cures wrought thereby at Balsara, Ormus, and in other places in the Persian Gulf, upon several English and Holland Mariners.

So soon as a Camel comes into the World, they fold his Feet under his Belly, and make him lye upon them; after that they cover his Back with a Carpet that hangs to the Ground, laying Stones upon each side, so that he may not be able to rise; and thus they leave him for fifteen or twenty days. In the mean time they give him Milk to drink, but not very often; to the end he may be accustom'd to drink little. This they do also to use them to lye down, when they go about to Lade them; at which time they will fold their Legs and lye down so obediently, that it is an admirable thing to consider. So soon as the Caravan comes to the place where it is to lye, all the Camels that belong to one Master will range themselves in a Circle, and lye down upon their fore Feet; so that it is but untying one Cord that holds the Bales, and they will slide off gently from each side of the Camel. When 'tis time to lade again, the same Camel comes and crouches down between the two Burthens, and when they are fasten'd, gently rises up with the Burthen again; which is done without any trouble or noise. When the Camels are unladen, they let them go a-field to feed upon the Heath and Bushes, and half an hour before Sun-set they return of themselves, unless any one happen to wander; which they will call again with a certain Cry which is natural to them. When they return, they range themselves in a Circle, and the Muleters give to every one little Balls of Barley-meal kneaded, as big as two Fists. The Camel though he be of a large bulk, eats very little, contented with what he meets with upon the Heaths; where he more especially looks for Thistles, of which he is a great lover. But it is more admirable, to consider with what patience they endure drowth: For one time that I cross'd over the Deserts, where we were 65 days upon the Road, our Camels were nine days without Drink. But what is more wonderful is this, that when the Camel is in the heat of Generation, he neither eats nor drinks for 40 days together; and he is then so furious, that without great care you cannot avoid being bitten by him: And where-ever he bites, he carries away a piece of the Flesh. At that time issues out of their Mouths a white Foam, besides that there appears on each side of their Chops two Bladders large and swell'd, like the Bladder of a Boar.

In the Spring time all the Camel's Hair falls off in three days. The Skin remains bare, and then the Flies are very troublesom. There is no way but to Tar them all over: though it be a ventrous thing to come near them at that time.

A Camel must be drest as well as a Horse; but the Camel-keeper never uses any Curry-comb, but only beats him all over with a small Wand, as Carpets are wont to be dusted. If a Camel be hurt or gall'd under the Pack-saddle, they never apply any thing to it, but only wash it well with Urine, without using any other Remedy.

There