Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-12-19
The Expedition Tor oamcls.


in charge ct the expedition Of this Governmen
TO procHre Camos to ba brought hither with toe
view efexperimentug for their future employment
in United States military transportation, especial
ly on our Great Western deserts. The letter Is
dated COnStantinopie. October 3lst,aud is address
sad to the HIN. Jefferson Davis, Secretary OF
War. After speaking Of his visit 10 the Crimea,
and his kind Treatment by Gen. Simpson and other
British officers, the writer proceeds:
"Ws found in the Crimea both the Bactrian
tso-humped camel ,and the Arabian or one hump
81. but the latter alone seemed to be used for the
purposes of military transportation. The former
were found in the Crinea az the commencement
Of the war the latter were carried there since
from Asia Minor. The former were but little
thought Of, the latter were highly esteemed the
only objection To them we heard of being the
rom they occupied in the narrow streets, and
their Tightening the horses. The two are very
distinct species of the same genus differing from
each other as much, should say, as the buffalo
of our western parties does !fam the common OK.
Duubly bumped the Ractrian is strongly built,
powerful animal, standing not quite 50 high as
the Arabian. OF coar5er and more shaggy coat,
slower in motion but capable of carrying immense
burdens. From the formation of its back Gts two
humps there is difficulty in adjusting to it q
plck saddle and without one there is always more
or less perplexlty in loading aud securing the
load. This rather think is the principal source
of objection to its use though believe the opini-
on advanced to US to DO correct that 1t is not as
serviceable an animal as the Arabian Its use in
the Crimea before the war we understand to be
chiefly for draught, and on one occasion we saw
two yoked to Tartar wagon, as oxen are, but
guided by rope reins. The result of our eXamina-
ton determined US not to procure one as 1t would
only complicate our experiment without producing
such results as we anticipate from the Arabian
stock AT same future day should the camel be-
come domesticated with us, il may then be worth
while to import few males for Cruising upon the
Arabian females. as it is said is done with advan-
tage in Persia. the issue always taking after the
m9ther-lhat is being one bumped. Sketches Of
the Bactran camel were made by Mr.. Heap.
which will convey very clear ideas Of the animal
and Of its difference from the Arabian.
"Col. McMnrdo informed me that in the expe-
dition against Sinde,he had in service about TWEEN
iy-6ve thousand ca,nels,a and that from his expert
ence he esteemed them highly 50 nucn 50, that
he had then at SiNDpe three thousand of them, in
addition to the few now in use in the Crimea, in
readiness for the campaign next spring. The
loads they viii carry depend much, he said, upon
the service in which they are employed-rapid
bu. their average loads under favorable circum
stances he stated to be about six hundred pounds,
and these they will carry easily without pushing,
twenty five to thirty miles day. lie mentioned
the Interesting fact, which do not remember to
have heard before, that during the expedition a
gainst Sinde General Napier organized most eff
fcent corps of one thousand men, mounted upon
five hundred dromedaries--two men to each dro.
medary-the men sitting back to back, one facing
the head the other the tail. aud both armed with
rifles and sabres. The man facing the head was
the animals groom and driver, aud the manner of
using the corps was as 6ll1ws: upon arriving at
the scene of operations the boundaries were
made to kneel, IN square. under charge OF their
five hundred drivers, f9rmIng, as it were, base
of operations, from which the other five hundred
operated as infantry. As the advanced body NOV
ed, the square or squares. if more than one was
formed ifrequired, were also moved and in case
of extremity, the square offered a cover under
which the one thousand men could find COMPARE
tive shelter behind the animals, who were preyen-
ted from rising by hobble on the fore leg. and
use their.riAe most effectively. This corps, Col.
McMurdo informed me. could be readily marched
seventy miles in any direction in twelve hours,
60 SO miles per hour.) aud rendered throughout
The campaign most efficient service
.Gen. Simpson stated that in the same cam
paicn he found the camel 81 Seryceable that he
procured FIVE or six for his personal USE and that
with them he frequently went seventy miles be-
tween sunset and sunrise. To direct question
by Major Deatield (whom he met in the Crnnea)
whether he would not have preferred the hest
ENGLISH horses to camels could he have obtained
them, the General answered no, that he would
have preferred the camel, as packing his baggage
upon them in light loads, he could move more
quickly and continuously.
.'Our course from this will be, ih!nk,o Syria
or Egypt for dromedarieS and then back to Smyr-
ma for burden camels, in the expectation. OF com
mencing our return home sometime IN February.
AN AMERICAN LADY IN SEyAsTOpoL.-ThC
New York Journal of Commerce publishes let
ter, dated Constantinople November 10TH from
an American lady who had just visited the scenes
of carnage at Sevastopol. She says:
.sFor two miles before reaching the trenches
the Ground was covered with cannon balls, sho
aud pieces of she'll, like hail from hail Storm
On the hill side we could see lnnumerable row
of graves. was surprised to see so few soldier
about the Malak0ff aud Redan. The fact Is, tina
the forts on the north side are impregnable, unles
thew can cut off communication and Slarve then
out. The Russians keep up such hot fire upo
the city whenever they see anything of French 0
English, that any occupation of it by the allies
ont of the question. The Redan we found was
large area Of ground surrounded by high embank
ments of earth and bags filed with earth. III
whole interior was a scene of desOatiOn. Ih
qons dismoun.ed piles of cordage, balls, shot an
bombs in every direction, and the earth pioughe
an with shells From thence we walked dow
into the town, which is perfect mass OF ruin
The walls of most OF the houses are standing, bT
pierced through aud through with holes by tn
hombardment
"Some fatigue parties of English were busil
engaged in tearing the wood from the houses an
carting it to the camp. The houses were built
white sand stone which resembles marble in /
ASPECT, and in its glory ii must have been bea'
,iiul city. I'VE wished very much to cross
BRIDGE OF boats built by the French, to the quartz
ofSevastopol occupied by them, but as our pass WI
Ennlsh, we were refused permission. There
Great deal of i'll feeling between The soldiers
the ENGLISH and Frpuch army, and though tt
ENGLISH permit the French to pass through the
mart of Sevastopol, they viii not return the con
nlimest | tried to fad some flowers in the ga
dens. but did not succeed. 1t was getting lat
en- we returned by the Malakotf tower. This is
ratification within ratification, but is built
baskets instead of bags, and underneath the en-
b,nkments are stone cells for the accommodate
of the soldiers. There we foundail sortsoi relic
soldiers caps, bullets. muskets, &C."
HuSrEp BY AN misunderstanding to a CO
respondent o. the Lynchburg (Va.) Republican,
citizen of Smyth county, George w. Richardso
nv name. has for several years past been pursue
BY malignant aod unknown foe. with the viey
apparently of murder. but for what object, is
c6mplette mystery. He has been assailed wit
rocks. fired upon, beaten with club, and stabbe
during the hours OF darkness; and yet he has e
caped with his life, although at times badly ii
irted personally. Last Suamer his barn was S