take you far into the desert, there to die. But arrived at our
destination she shall be broken in at once, however, for in all my
stables there is no other camel with her sliding step, not one who
would not make you feel as though your spine had snapped after one
hour's journey upon its back. We Arabs can sit a camel in more than
one way, but the easiest for you, and Allah knows it will be hard
enough after a time, is, if your skirt permits, to sit astride and put
both your feet round the pummel in front. That, anyway, will prevent
you from being twisted as you are with the shocking ladies' saddle you
use in England."

"Oh, but I ride astride," volunteered Jill, as she raised her skirts,
settled herself, and taking the gold-studded rein, held firmly to the
front and back peak of the saddle as instructed, and awaited the word
of command.

A camel rises from its front or hind legs just as the fancy seizes it,
so that if you do not keep a fair balance, also yourself in complete
readiness to lean forward or backward according to your mount's final
decision, you will assuredly find yourself ignominiously pitched in a
heap over the quadruped's nose, or just as ignominiously hanging head
down in the vicinity of its tail, either of which positions will cause
her to chortle gleefully before the next lurch, which gets the rest of
her feet into order.

A final touch is given by the imitation of an infantile earthquake as
she arranges you to her taste, and then you may consider yourself ready
to start out on a journey which may make you more sea-sick than any
rough channel-crossing in boat or aeroplane.