The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-04-12
Camsls and Dromedaries,

When the army bill was under considers,ion
at about 3 or 4 O'Clock on thu morning Of the 4lh
OF March, in the senate Of the United States, Mr.
Davis, Of Mlss. PROPOSED an amendment for tho
purchase and iCtrOduc;Un Of ~ camels aod 90
dIomedaIies, with ton Arahs anu the necessary
equippage [L.ughtcrl l am sorry. said he.
that any .. my friends should laugh at this prop
us!tlOn This animal ihuug b associated with ma
ny objects Of our earliest history, go far back that
va cannot tell When the Sarns existed III the wild
state, is still known to oGr country, and Ass even
been the sutIect OF dispute amUns the naturhisis
as to lis anatomical organzn.ion Bg; think, Il
gentlemen were aware ui the .xt.Rt to which .h,s
animal is used that i. is truly as iguratirely, H.,
ship OF the desert tba! /. paas-s uOw in tho
transportation VI merchandise in tho great trade
between China AM 81; Petersburg, IL Russia, tia.
It j, kept IN CiTcasslI and used iH the English AZ
mics IN the East Indies IN transporting the army.
and often carrying light guns upon their backs
tnai it was uscd by Napoleon III bis Egyplian
campIign--nul understood the value .. the dion,.
slary corps in dealing with q race 10 which our
wild Camauches aud Apayhts bear a close rssem.
blauce, II they knew how great is tho embarrass.
ment, especially Ia q cavalry corpS in waiting for
mules 10 draw the gun, with which they ale ell.
cumbercd, | do not think the proposition would
have excited laugh Nor would they smile IL
lhtN hhe" huN Cr"cutl"t ihvY are ~ the pursuit
OF those Indians who e,ca ye from our cavalry in
nearly every pursul, which i made But recent
IL under officer VINO j. entitled TO great credit
as a comInauirra band Of Apache- came upon
his soldiers, la he'd thtpugh the camp, loosensd
bis horse 'ram t.e gI,as and IAN UT with him.
Ia u su.l more stlIelGg case, some soldiers were
PLAYING cards unun q blanket, md seeing the A
p1chss coming, they syraDS 10 heir feet An A.
pichr caught the blanket upon his lance and gal
l1prd or with it Those drumedaries drinking e.
uuIFa vutes before they start 10 lnst for one hu-
dreI niles travelling continually without rest, nc
the rate Of ten or fifteen miles per hour would
ovcraks those bands of lndians--whish is what
the cavalry cannot do They would generally
catch them in one day, bu, would Cerisiny over
tHkc them very soon although Il considerable dis
tance behind
There u another advantage. A man whr ride.
dromcdary can take up an infantry man behind
him, and take him 20 the piacGwhero he /. to 20
The weight /, scarcely iet Small pieces can bs
mounted upon lin ana carried over mountains.
descrt5 aud plains, where \ horse eosld not draw
them. Their efficacy Is So great that, II ,sev will
bear our climate and the food Of our country' be-.
lcye il will ba the greatest stroke uf economy
which hgs occurred That's IA experiment but
when We remember that they are used in tho
same parallel 1l latitude for trade accustomed 10
eat the hardest shrubs, and to drink the sama
bracki.h water which y stated to exist in sons
portions OF our western ecsert believe il will bs
found thGt they will soon he capable Of doing
here all tha; they are capable Of doing in iie .ss