The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-09-01
THE CAMEL.

| &c.-on the extensive and arid plains or
the West and Southwest, has rendered this
| celebrated Oriental beast an object of espe-
cial interest, and the result of the expert
ment will be of no little Importance. The
vast tract of country between our Western
settlements and the Pacific coast presents
great obstacles to all the beasts of burden
common to this country, and thousands OF
oxen and horses have been lost in crossing
those desolate plains, where often for days
together no water or feed for cattle can be
found. 1t will readily be seen, therefore,
that if the camel, which is naturally strong
and enduring animal, capable of travelling
for several days at time without either
food or water, can be acclimated and pro-
duced in large numbers, SO as to perform
the constantly increasing labor of transport
tation across this section of our country, a
great achievement will have been accom-
plished. The experiment is now in course
of trial, and we are told, with happy augu
ries of ultimate success.
Two lots of camels have been procured
from the East, and are now in Texas. The
first lot was obtained in 1855 SO, through
the agency of Major C. Wayne, of the U.
S. Army, under the direction of the War
Department. Thirty three animals were
obtained at Tunis, Cairo, and Smyrna, part
of them gifts from the local authorities
The sum expended in securing them was
about eight thousand dollars.
The report of Major Wayne to the Gov
eminent, giving history of the expedition
sent to procure these "ships of the DESERT
embraces much interesting information rel
alive to the camel, the combined result of
: his reading and observation. The limits of
"camel land'-that is, where the camel has
been known and used-lies between the
18th and SD degrees of north latitude and
the 18th degree of longitude west of Green
witch to about the 120th degree east of it
The animal, therefore, is not one of the tor
rid zone, as is often supposed, but rather of
the north temperate. Indeed, it suffers as
much, if not more, from great heat as it
does from intense cold.
The Arabian camel, to which variety
E most of the specimens brought to this coun-
try belong. is found throughout camel land,
and furnishes beasts both for burden and
for riding. Its powers and hardness vary
with climate and breeding, and as general
rule its strength and endurance is greater
the farther north it is found.
Although the camel is generally repre-
scented as exceedingly meek and docile, yet,
strange as it may seem, numbers are train
} ed for the arena; and one of the amuse
: ments of Oriental life is contests between
fighting camels," in which one or the other
} is generally severely hurt, and not unfre
quently killed by dislocation of the GER
vical :ertebra. In its general character
J and diseases the camel resembles moro
} the OK than any other division of animals.
) Its four stomachs, a ruminant, are dis
tinctly recognized, but much doubt is ex-
pressed as to its possession of fifth, attri-
buted to it by some writer's, to account for
its ability to carry within itself a supply Of
water to meet the exigencies of desert life.
Naturally hardy, the camel will undergo
Inconvenience; and beyond the ordinary
ailments of the OK tribe, it has but two dis
eases of consequence the itch, and vio
lent pneumonites, or inflammation of the
lungs, which is apt to carry it off in two or
three days. The camel will wade streams,
even up to the hump, but reluctantly, and
is said by some writer's to be unable to
: swim.
Ofthe peculiar characteristic of the camel
1.-THE hump Major Wayne says:
"This particular characteristic of the
camel, viewed, when its purpose is under
stood, in connexion with its ability to carry
its own supply of water for several days,
exhibits one of those wonderful adaptations
by the Almighty of animals to country that
excite our high admiration and reverence.
Composed Of gelatinous fat, it contributes
stock of provision that, by re-absorption,
furnishes the animal with sustenance when
the nature of the country, or other unfor-
tunate contingency, deprives it of a supply
of food sufficient for its exertons. Stored
thus, by the wise arrangement of Provi-
ldence, with water and with food to meet for
several days, should necessity or misfor-
tune require it, the exigencies of an arid and
unproductive country, the camel has not
inaptly been called the ship of the desert
So we'll is the use of the hump understood
in the East that the condition of the animal
lis judged of and its improvement, after
long and severe journey, measured by it
1t is not uncommon to see camels come in,
after long and painful journeys. with backs
almost straight, exhibiting but little if any
hump.
Beyond this supplying with food by re-
absorption the hump does net seem to be
intimately connected with the animals vi
tality; for Linant Bey informed me that he
had repeatedly opened with sharp knife
the humps of his dromedaries, when from
high feeding they had become so plump as
20 prevent the fitting of the saddle, and re-