Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-07-12
The Camel.

we are Indebted to an esteemed friend for the
suoJoined paper upon the Camel, from the pen of
gentleman who has had much experience of the
habits and character of the animal, and wishes to
see 1t imported into sAmerica for its seryiceable
qualities National InteHigencer.
1t is fact well known to Eastern travellers.
and especially to those who have visited the noun.
famous regions of Syria, Palestine, and the PENN
sula OF Sinai, that the camel is as serriceabe ON
rough mountain paths as IN the moring sand of the
desert. On this account the modern Arab never
troubles himself with road making. He will not
even remove stone from the middle of the path
which leads to his usual watering place. The
dry bed OF torrent is his high road across the
mountains, and footprints are his guides through
the plains. The tough soes of the camers feet
are affected neither by the burning sand nor by the
loose, sharp edged stones strewed over that vol
canic mountain range which extends from the
Taurus to the Indian Ocean The lono leooed.
sure footed animal makes his way ,hrouoh the
heavy mud, crosses the rapid torrent. steps over
the huge stones and other impedments which he
often encounters, and this with load upon his
back and sometimes, perhaps, the additional weight
of the lazy driver, while the mule would be unable
to travel over the same ground, though without
any load whatever.
The camel is not exclusively made use of by
the peaceable traveller and merchant. Both the
privileged and unprivleged robbers of Arabia and
Africa prefer them to the horses of Nedjdee or
Dongoa The dromedary,. or running camel,
lin Arabic, "bahree," or bakeen,'') is not par
tcular species. Any young camel may be trained
for racing or for war, although the mountain breeds
are best adapted for these purposes. The camel
drinks only every second day but it may be de-
prved of water for three days together, without
any effect upon its health and vigor. 1t will per-
form an eight days journey with no other food
than three pounds of oil-cake and few handuls
of grain. The dromedary carries sixty pounds
weight in addition to its rider and it will outstrip
the feetest horse in days march. The s'cavass"
of the Egyptian government travel on dromedaries
from Cairo to Suck, distance of ninety three
miles, in eight hours. 1t takes but half minute
to secure the camel in sitting posture by the bri-
die string, SO that it neither rise nor move un-
Ill released Camels would therefore, afford as
effectual protection TO mounted rifemen against
the attack of cavalry as cheraur de-frise.
The common days journey of caravans in Syria
and Arabia is from tweniy-seven English miles,
and The load of each camel is between four and
FIVE hundred weight. The Indian mail is conveyed
from Suck to Cairo on Cames in eighteen hours.
An Egyptian camel, amongst the talest and
strongest breeds, will carry for short distance
six hundred to one thousand yards-from 10 to
20 cwts.
The camel is also very successfully employed
for drought by the engineer department of Alden.
Ii is far superior to the slow and greedy OK, ian
animal which none but persevering Dutchman
ever forces to trot.) The camel draws as much
two oxen: it walks twice as fast, and it GER
tainly does not eat more than one OK. 1t may be
broken in when three years old, and will be USE
ful and active to the age of Is 90 The best food
on journeys is oil-cake, beans, and Indian corn.
The camel is certainly more useful than either
the lama, mule, horse, OK, we'll on account
of its superior strength, frugaty, endurance, and
willingness, as Of its adaptablity to every climate
and every soil. On the journey from Damascus
to the coast, in the month of March, or from Ko-
niah to Smyrna. the traveller often passes In a
Ody IIOH3 SHOWS Ol Tic UuOuUldlu range 10 the
burning sands of the desert-a change which has
no effect upon his hardy beast.
Amongst the Mohammedans camels flesh is an
article of food When young it is not easily dis
tingushed from beef. Camers milk is the chief
food OF the wandering Arab; and the hide of the
animal is considered superior to every other for
sandals.
have thus enumerated some of the advantages
which would render the introduction of the camel
into America an inestimabe benefit. There is no
reason why the cames should not be as seryicea-
BILE to man on the praires of Texas and the noun
tain regions of Mexico and California, as in the
corresponding tracts of the Old World-the line of
country from Orenbourg to Mogadore, and from
Mogadofe to Pekin. 1t would be accmated as
soon and as easily the genus asinus, no species
of which existed here until the Spaniards imported
the horse and ass, and the New World already /
an animal Of corresponding species to
the camel-the lama,
Ius. is name (which derived from the Greek word
DIR EMO, in the sense which il employed by the
Improperly applied TO the Persian camel with two humps