Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-09-26
THE M EXPERIMENT.

IdE ChMCL EGhlHlGN
We are happy to learn, as we do from Mr..
Beale,s accompanying letter, that the experiment.
Of using the camels as a beast of burden over our
arid territories in Northwestern Texas ndNew Mex
leo is so nearly everything that could be wished
| When the exactly-right breed shall have been pro
cured, ard one or two Turks or Arabs Ito the
manner born" induced to remain long enough to
familiarize our people with their habits, complete
success must be attained.
"EL PAso, July "a, 1917.
"SrR; I have the honor to report ms arrival at
this place with the expedition under my command
Thus far we have progressed rapidly and without
a single days delay since leaving San Antonio.
"It gives me pleasure to report the entire sue
cess Of the expedition with the camels. so lar as l
have tried il. LabOring under ali the dlsadVan-
tages arising out of the tact that we have not a
single man who knows anything whatever ct cam
els or how to pack them, we have nevertheless,
arrived here without accident, and, having used
the camels every day with teavy packs. have few
er sore backs and disabled ones by far than would
have been the case travelling with pack mules
On starting | packed nearly seven hundred pounds
on each camel. which | fear was too heavy a
burden for the commencement of n long journey );
they, however, packed it daily until that weight
was reduced by our diurnal use Of it as forage for
our mules.
II trust they may stand the remainder of the
Journey as well as they have thus far, and l see
no reason whatever to doubt it. If they should,
the experiment of their usefulness is demonstrat-
ed fully and it is to be hoped a larger number Will
be imported. Fur Indian scouts, with infantry
companies, in countries as badly supplied with
water as Texas and New Mexico. they would
prove an invaluable aid, though those we have
with us are not the valuable kind for burden, te'
ing all females, with three exceptions. The reg
ular burden camel would make the same journey
we have made. and in the same time, witt 200
pounds as easily as these with half the weight
| desire to call your attention particularly to the
fact that they live and keep up on food rejected
even by mules, and which grows in the greatest
lluxuriance in the most barren of our American
deserts-the greese wood, a small bitter bush, use
less for any purposes | have been able to discover
except as being a valuable food OF the camels.-
Although they eat grass when staked out TO 1t, 1t
left to themselves they will instantly leave the best
grama and browse greedily on bushes OF any kind
whatever in preference. / was told by the high
est authority on leaving San Antonio that not one
of them would ever see Ell Paso that they would
give out in the feet. &c. This prediction has not
been verified by fact. The road from here to
San Antonio is certainly the most terribly trying
on unshod feet | have ever seen, consisting OF
sharp, coarse. irregular, finty gravel, about the
size of a pea and smaller, acting on the feet like n
steel rasp. This is so true that | have not an I'M
shod work mule or horse that is not lame. the feet
having been unable to resist the grinding nature
of the road. With the camels | have not to this
time a single tender-footed animal. | attribute
this not to much to the spongv gutta-percha like
substance which forms the feet AS to the sin
gular regularity and perpendicular motion
with which tue foot is raised and put down.
In horses and mules there is always more or less
of slip, shuttle. friction, or sliding motion impart-
ed to the foot by the action of the animal, but the
! camel lifts his foot clearly and perpendicular
from the ground, extends the leg, and replaces i;
squarely and fatty without tie least shuttle or mo
ton to create friction.
'They are the most docile, patient and easily
managed creatuf es in the world, and infinitely
more easily work ed than mules. From persona
observation of them l wolld rather undertake thu
management of twenty Of them than five mules
In fact the camel gives no trouble whatever
Kneeling down to receive his load, it may be pu
on without hurry, at the convenience OF the mas
ter, and the process of packing is infinitely easiel
than that of mule packing. These animals re
main quietly on their knees till loaded. Contras
the lassoing, the binding. the ~saddiing, the pull
ing and hauling of ropes, the adjustment OF tn
pack on an animal like the mule, flying round i
all directions, to say nothing of the chance OF
broken limb received from one of its nnmeruu
kicks, with the patient quiet Of the camel, knee
ing for its load. We have had them on this jour
neg sometimes for twentysix hours without watel
exposed to = great degree of heat, the mercur
standing at one hundred and four degrees, an
when they came!to water seemed almost inditfereI
to il. Not all drank, and those that did, not wit
the famished eagerness of other animals when d.
prived Of water tor the same length of time.
III the department INTENDS carrying the npO
tation of them further after this present exper
ment has been more fully tested, and | have r.
ported my success or the want t. of 1t, | would stron,
ly recommend a new saddle to be prepared for thel
to replace the present clumsy continuance, an
also that a CORPS of Mexicans be employed
herding and using them. Americans of the ella:
who seek such employment are totally unfit for
being for the most part harsh, cruel, and impatier
with animals entrusted to their care. The Greek
and Turks who are with US knew no more of can
els than any American living in New York know
of buffalo. The annimal is used in their ow
country, but they know nothing about it. My OIL
ly object in employing them at the high rate the
rs; are paid was that they, knowing the harm
less character of the camel, would give confden,
to the others employed in the management of q
animal which. with all its gentleness, has a mo
ferocious l,okinO set of teeth, which it displa,
with a roar rivaling that oc the royal Bengal tige
The two Turks, Hassan and Sinliman who reail
did know all about camels, and who were Il
only ones that did, that | could discover, refuse
to accompany the expedition. being DESTROYS
returning home to their own country.
W are getting on rapidly and very pleasant
and | hope to be in Washington again on Chris
mas day.
II have the honor to remain, very respectful
your obedient servcnt,
E.. F. BEALE.