mark thereof, and was let go loose to feed, none driving her from pasture or water, nor using her for carriage;2 and others tell us, that when a camel had newly brought forth, they used to slit the ear of her young one, saying, "O GOD, if it live, it shall be for our use, but if it die, it shall be deemed rightly slain;" and when it died, they ate it.3 Sâïba signifies a she-camel turned loose to go where she will. And this was done on various accounts: as when she had brought forth females ten times together; or in satisfaction of a vow; or when a man had recovered from sickness, or returned safe from a journey, or his camel had escaped some signal danger either in battle or otherwise. A camel so turned loose was declared to be Sâïba, and, as a mark of it, one of the vertebræ or bones was taken out of her back, after which none might drive her from pasture or water, or ride on her.4 Some say that the Sâïba, when she had ten times together brought forth females, was suffered to go at liberty, none being allowed to ride on her, and 5 Solin. de Arab. c. 33. 6 Hieronym. in Jovin. l. 2, c. 6. 7 Idem, ibid. 8 Solinus, ubi supra. 9 Kor. c. 2, p. 33, 34. 10 Cap. 5, p. 86. 1 Al Zamakh., al Beidâwi, al Mostatraf. 3 Ebn al Athîr. 4 Al Firauzab., al Zamakh. that her milk was not to be drank by any but her young one, or a guest, till she died; and then her flesh was eaten by men as well as women, and her last female young one had her ear slit, and was called Bahîra, and turned loose as her dam had been.5 This appellation, however, was not so strictly proper to female camels, but that it was given to the male when his young one had begotten another young one:6 nay, a servant set at liberty and dismissed by his master, was also called Sâïba;7 and some are of opinion that the word denotes an animal which the Arabs used to turn loose in honour of their idols, allowing none to make uses of them, thereafter, except women only.1 Wasîla is, by one author,2 explained to signify a she-camel which had brought forth ten times, or an ewe which had yeaned seven times, and every time twin; and if the seventh time she brought forth a male and a female, they said, "Wosilat akhâha," i.e., "She is joined," or, "was brought forth with her brother," after which none might drink the dam's milk, except men only; and she was used as the Sâïba. Or Wasîla was particularly meant of sheep; as when an ewe brought forth a female, they took it to themselves, but when she brought forth a male, they consecrated it to their gods, but if both a male and a female, they said, "She is joined to her brother," and did not sacrifice that male to their gods: or Wasîla was an ewe which brought forth first a male, and then a female, on which account, or because she followed her brother, the male was not killed; but if she brought forth a male only, they said, "Let this be an offering to our gods."3 Another4 writes, that if an ewe