Editing Camel train (section)

===Cargo===
Typical cargo carried by the caravans were commodities such as wool, cotton fabrics, or tea, as well as miscellaneous manufactured goods for sale in Xinjiang and Mongolia. Opium was carried as well, typically by smaller, surreptitious, caravans, usually in winter (since in the hot weather opium would be too easily detected by the smell). More exotic loads could include [[jade]] from [[Khotan]],<ref>Lattimore (1928/9), pp. 156–157.</ref> elk [[antlers]] prized in [[Chinese medicine]], or even dead bodies of the [[Shanxi]] caravan men and traders, who happened to die while in Xinjiang. In the latter case, the bodies had been first "temporarily" buried in Gucheng in light-weight coffins, and when, after three or so years in the grave the flesh had been mostly "[[mummy|consumed away]]", the merchant guild sent the bodies to the east by a special caravan. Due to the special nature of the load, higher freight rate was charged for such "dead passengers".<ref>Lattimore (1928/9), pp. 230–231</ref> Camels have been historically used to traffic illicit drugs among their legal trade goods. <ref>Irwin (2010), Camel. Reaction Books, London. p. 57.</ref> With camel meat being illegal in some places, Camels themselves are smuggled. In India, ritual sacrifice and common slaughter has fueled camel smuggling.