Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-08-22
NJ | S c E L L A N Y.
THE CAMEL.

LIE OhmCL.
The recent importation of camels into this
country to test their capacity for military pur-
poses-transportation Of stores, &c.--on the ex-
tenSlve and arid plains Of the West and South
west, has rendered this celebrated oriental beast
an object of especial interest, and the result Of
the experiment 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
st:ong and enduring animal, capable OF travelling
for several DAYS at time without ther fDod or
water, can be acclimated and produced in large
numbers, as to perform the constantly IN
creasng labor of trar sportation across this Sec
ton OF our country, great achievement will
have been accomplished. The expert nent is
now in course Of trial, we are told, with hap
by angures of ultimate seccess.
Two lots of camels have been procured from
the East, and are now in Texas. The first lot
was obtained IN 1886, through the agency of
Major Henry c. Wayne, of the U. 5. Army,
under the direction of the War Department.
Thirty-three animals were obtained in Tunis,
Cairo, and Smyrna, part of them gifts from
the local authorities. The sum expended in Sc
curing them was about eight thousand dollars.
The report of Major Wayne to the govern
ment giving history OF the expedition sent to
procure these 'ships of the desert" embraces
much interesting information relative to the cam
the combined result of his readi q and Obser-
yation The limits of ''camel land"-that is,
where the camel has been known and used-es
between the 18th and SD degrees of north lat
itude, and the 18th degree of longitude west of
Greenwich to about the 10th degree east of 1t.
The animal. therefore is not one Of the torrld
zone, as is often supposed, but rather OF the north
temperate Indeed it suffers as much, 1t not
MORE from great heat as it does from intense
cold. The scientific classification Of the animal
into ''lhe camel" or the two-humped species, and
the "drompdary," or one-humped group, is wrong.
The word "lromedary,' or anything like it, Is
unknown throughout "came land The word
dromedary is derived from the Greek, and sig
niGcs "a runner" "a racer, or "a courser," and
is really applicable t, but one variety Of the
camel, that devoted 10 riding purposes; and Is
actually only so applied by the Europeans living
in The countries where that variety is known ant
used Major Wayne distinguishes both the two
bumped and onr-humped species from each 9th
er by the terms "Bactran" and ARABIAN, from
the countries whence they are said to have orig
inally come. The two bumped is the Bactrian
and the single bumped the Arabian.
The Bactrian species is found only on thu
southern border of Siberia, in portion of Tar
tary, and in the Crimes. and is much heavle
built, stouter limbed, and stronger animal thar
the Arabian. From the difficulty of loading it
on account of its two humps, its usefulness as
beast of burden is limited 1t is sometimes
however, used for draft, being yokcd to ~ago
as oxen are. The great value of this camel
as a'breeder, fo' crossing the male l}artrlan wit
the female Arabian the produce being power
tui bumped hybrid and for this purpose
iskept throughout Asiatlc northern "camel land,
as breeding stations are with Us.
The Arabian camel to which variety most {
he specimens brought 10 this country belong,
found throughout camel land, aud furnishes beas
both for burden and for riding Its powers an
hardness vary with climate and breedirg, an
rs Il general rule its strength and endurance
greater The farther north il is found.
Although the camel is generally Representa-
as exceedingly meek and docile, yet, strange a
il may seem, numbers are trained for the arena
and one OF the amusements of Oriental life
contests between "f shting camels," in which on
or the other is generally severely hurt and NJ
unfrequently killed by dislocation of the ce
vical vertpbre. In its general chara tier an
diseases the camel rerembles more the OK tina
any other division of animals. Its four stomach
as a ruminan, are distinctly recognized, but muc
doubt is expressed as TO its possession of fftl
attributed 10 it by some writers, 10 account Il
its ability TO carry within itself supply OF wat,
10 meet the exigences OF desert life. Natural
hardy, the camel will undergo much exposu
and fatigue without serious inconvenience an
beyond the ordinary ailments of the OK tribe,
has but two diseases Of coDsequence-the i'll
and violent pneumonitis, or inflammation of Il
lungs, which is apt to carry it off in two or thI
days. The camel will wade streams, even up
the hump, but reluctantly, and is said by son
writers TO be unable to swim.
OF the peculiar characteristic of the camel
the hump-Major Wayne says;
This particular characteristic of the cam
viewed, when its purpose is understood, in co
necilon with its ability to carry its own supp
of water for several days, exhibits one of tho
wonderful adaptations, by the Almighty, of al
mails to country that excite our admiration al
reverence. Composed Of gealinous fat, it CO
tributes stock of provision that, by reabsor
ton, furnishes the animal with sustenance win
the nature of The country, or other unfortuna
contingency deplves it of supply of food 81
heient Tor its eXertions. Stored thus, by I
wise arrangement of Providence, with water a
with food to meet for several days. should nee,
ss'y or misfortune require it, the exigencies
an arid and unproductve country. the camel
not lnaptly been called the ship of the d. Sc
SO well is the use of the hump understood in
East, that the condition of the animal is Jude
OF and lis improvement, after long aud sew
journey, measured by il. 1t is not uncommon
see camels come in, after long and panfl 10