"As soon as I was in place I seized the front and rear of the saddle; the driver then pulled at the halter, and said something that sounded like 'heyda! heyda!'
"The camel began to move as though there was a small earthquake under him. There were three motions—a surge backward, a surge forward, and then a backward plunge that brought him to a level.
THE SHIP OF THE DESERT.
"I could not see exactly how it was done; but Fred, who was looking on, said the camel rose on half his fore-legs, then on all of his hind-legs, and lastly on the remaining half of his fore-legs. This will account for the three motions that were required to bring him up standing."
"Yes," answered the Doctor, "and he kneels in the reverse way—half the fore-legs, all the hind-legs, and then half the fore-legs. He is always made to kneel for receiving his burden or being relieved of it. He makes a great fuss when he is being loaded, and leads you to suppose that the burden placed on him is much more than he can bear. The older the camel the more noise does he make."
"He must have thought I weighed a ton at least," Frank responded, "for he began groaning and bellowing as soon as I entered the saddle, and did not stop till he was on his feet. Then he concluded it was no use protesting any more and became quiet."