The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-06-09
VOL. xxV.---No, A.
The Came els on the Pacific Coast.

leaders that these strange anu "ohueriui
animals. natives of the East, and with which
we associate only Oriental ideas and scene,
the Arabs Ship of the Desert-.the Tar
tar's wealth in peace, and strength inwar,-
the Turks drudge and the Persian's glory
In two distinct species are domesticated upon
onr great Western plains and deserts. Hav-
ing seen in the possession of Prof. W. IL.
Brewer, of Yale College, striking sketch
of a group of Bactrain camels on the Hum
boldt desert, Nevada, latitude 40o, we OBJ
tanned permission to copy it, and he mas
favored us with sonic notes of his cbserva-
tons of the camels on the Pacific coast,
where he has lately BEEN
Camels were introduced into the United
States at several times, both under govern
ment auspices and by private enterprise, but
the most considerable importations were
made by or under jeff Davis, while U. S.
Secretary of War. Both, the large Arabian
one. bumped camels or Droniedafies, and
the smaller two-humped Bactrain cames,
were imported, the former we believe from
northern Africa, and the others from western
Asia. One of the native keepers that came
over with the latter, was "Yuseph Badra,'
made somewhat famous by j. Ross Brown,
who had already seen him in his Crusade in
the East" Nearly or quite all of the cam
els were put first on the Southern deserts,
that is "on the plains of Texas, New
Mexico. Arizona and California, and none
were used north of the northern line of
Arizona until after 1859 or go. Although
high hopes were entertained of their useful.
ness there, the sequel has thrown much doubt
over their availability for our uses.
Of the wonderful power of endurance, the
strength and heetness of the camel it is un-
necessary here to speak On the southern
deserts they at first babe fair to succeed
They crossed with ease those desolate stretch
es that were very trying to horses and mules,
but while they could go longer without water,
the "alkaline water" of the American desert
seemed as fatal to them as to other animals.
They obtain from the stuntcd shrubs, where
there is little or no grass, larger proportion
of their food than horses or mules and it
Is stated that they will even eat sparingly the
sinking "Creosote BUSH (Larrea Mericana)
of the Colorado and Arzonian deserts, a
p,ant i'd other animal will touch
Various causes induced the sale of govern
mcnt camels, and we believe none are now
owned by the government, but that all were
sold in California, and are now scattered
over that State and Nevada. We have heard
of no camcls in Texas since the beginning
Of the recent Var.
They were losing speculation to govern
ment, selling at only one,hith Of their origi
nal cost, or even less, for it is currently stat
cd that camcls which cost the United States
$500 each, sold at an average of about
$780, some of the Bactrians that were i'm
ported privately proved Il better speculation,
we believe:
The dromedarcs are the largest, and some
were fine animals compared with the miser
able caricatures we see in nienagcries. The
strength of one of them which was detailed
for use by the United States California Boun
Diary Commission, in 1860, while at Los
Angeles in Southern California; was tested
by some of the reckless employees. He was
packed with load of 1900 pounds, while
kneeing he rose and walked about the cor
fal with that enormous load and did not APP
pear to be injured. He was killed a few
rights later by one of his mates that got
loose and attacked HIM with his ponderous
fee their weapons of ol1ence.) The heavy
bl ,ws could be heard nearly mile, while
4 W. 1-ol
eton Of this arimal was sent to the Smith
sonian Institute) where we suppose it is now
to be seen.
1t is Il curious fact that horses and mules
are very much afraid of these Hiimals, until
they become accustomed to their appearance
ind odor A grizzly bear does not inspire
so great terror, as does camel. Sometimes
the horses seem perfectly frantic even be.
fore they can see The animals, simply from
smelling them.
The newspapers stated that ut one time,
about 1859, the town of Brownsville, in
Texas, passed an ordinance declaring camels
anuisance, and prohibiting their being driven
through the streets, owing to their effect on
the horses; and California newspapers con.
tain many accounts of runaway horses in the
various towns where camcls are seen, melted
BY .his same cause. Nevertheless, when
horses and mules become accustomed Ia
them, they appear very much attached to
their homely comrades.
A few camels are now scattered over Cali
fornia, but m1st of them are in Nevada,
where they are used mainly in packing salt
from the deserts for use in the process OF
silver extraction; the usual load is about
600 to 800 pounds. We have no means Of
bn6wing the actual number of camels now
alive i'll this country, but as before stated
their numbers are decreasing, although some
have been born here.
There are several causes which combine
TO render the success of camels in the United
States more than doubtful. Our deserts mr.,
unlike those of Asia and Africa, they arc
more covered with shrubs, and often the sur
face is strewed with sharp, cutting fragments
of volcanic rocks We have much greater
daily extremes of heat and cold, and at times
heavy rains and SHOWS. At these times, til,
Al,