Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-09-23
The Camel in America.

The Camel in America.
| We observe many gratifying and in.
teresting accounts in the papers of the
successful employment Of the camel in this
country. The following, on the subject,
we take from the Philadelphia Press:
| In March, 1855, Congress appropriated
$50, 900 for the purchase and importation
of camels, entrusting Major Wayne with
the execution of the affair. In little more
! than twelve months he had selected and
safely brought to Texas thirty-four cameIs
and dromedaries. After another year had
passed, during which these animals had
been, to a certain extent, domesticated
and acclimatized, the majority of them
were placed at the command Of Lieut.,
Beale, to be used by him in making the
Southern Wagon-road across to Califor-
MIA. He reports that, weighing each camel
with seven hundred pounds burden, they
travelled most successfully from San An~
tonic to Ell Paso, living on bitter herbage,
which the mules would not eat herbage
which abOunds in the most barren Of our
deserts. While every unshod horse and
mule got lame from travelling over what
are graphically called ''grinding roads,
the peculiar gait of the camel enabled it
to avoid friction, and its unshod hoofs
were wholly uninjured, even by tedious
travel over road consisting of sharp,
coarse, irregular, flinty gravel, about the
size of pea, and smaller, acting on the
feet like steel rasp.' In all respects they
are superior to mules, and are peculiarly
adapted for carrying burdens; or for con
Veying the mails, over the extensive arid
plains which abound in Texas, Califora
MIA, New Mexico, Utah. and the MesiIa
Valley.
The dromedary has one hump-the
camel has two. Their hoofs are softer,
more spongy, more elastic than the hoofs
ofother animals, and, yielding TO the pres
sure, are not to be worn out by almost any
quantity of work. Their stomacbs (of
which they have four) are SO framed as,
after thirst is supplied, to enable them to
take in and retain as much fresh water as |
will last them from ten to fifteen days
They bear hunger with great patience, !
and their appetite is easily satisfied with |
the coarsest herbage. They carry from
l 900 to l 200 pounds burden. They are
good-tempered Though so high-spirited |
hat they recent ill-usage) and easily man
ageable. Some of these cameIs will ac>
regular speed, day after day,
sor month, of from thirty to one hundred
miles day. In China, where they are
much employed, they are called fong kyo
o, which signifies Feet of the Wind.'-
Fhey are much used in Tartary, Arabia,
Persia, and Asiatie Turkey
wherever, In short, vast arid sand plains
ire TO be traversed. In Africa they are
much employed, particularly in Egypt
Lord Byron has mentioned that the Arabs
'oetically designate them as The Ships of
he Desert
The acclimation of such an animal
must be considered as a great national
'oon. Where the horse and mule will be
Knocked up, from hunger and thirst, the
;ameI will exist and even thrive. The
east inviting heritage feeds them. As for
water, they carry it with them, and thev
ian scent spring, lake or river, at q
distance of two miles. Major Wayne has
lone good service 10 the country in intro
lucing the camel into such parts as they
ire particularly adapted for. We shall
yatch the progress of the experiment with
interest, but not with anxiety. A thing
veil commenced is already half accom-
,lished.