River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-02-14
SOLEMN: A SHIP Or THE DESERT

Africa, and is called the Sahara. 1t is
almost as large as the Atlantic ocean, but
instead Of water it is all sands and rocks.
Like the ocean, il is visited with storms;
dreadful gales, when the wind scoops up
thousands Of tons of sand and drives
them forward, burying and crushing all
they meet. And it has islands, too
small green patches, where springs bub-
bile through the ground, and ferns and
aeacias and palm-trces, grow. When
traveller sees one of these fertile spots altar
off, he feels as tempest tossed sailor
docs at sight Of land. 1t is delightful to
quit the hot and, baking sun, sit in the
shadow under the trees, and rest the eyes,
long wearied with dazzling sands, on the
sweet green and the clear springs. Gases,
these islands are called. Long distances
divide them. 1t is often a race for life
to get across from one to the other.
Sometimes people do not get across In
1905, carvan of 1000 persons died
miserably of heat and thirst in the great
desert, and the sand covered them up.
Do you wonder at my saying that the
desert eats men!
Now, you will be puzzled to guess
what sort Of ship it is which swims this
dry ocean. 1t is the camel an animal
made by God to endure these dreadful re-
gions, in which no othet beast of burden
can live and travel. | dare say many of
you have seen camels in menageries.
They are ugly ANIMALS, but very strong,
swift and untiring. With load Of 800
pounds on his back, a camel will travel
for days at the rate OF eight miles an hour,
which is as fast as an ordinary ship can
sail. More wonderful still he will do thi
without STOPPING for food or water. Mas
ture has provided HIM with an extra stom-
ach, in which he keeps store of drink
and with hump on his back, made of
jelly-lIke fat, which, in time of need, is
absorbed into the system and appropria-
ted as food Is it not strange to think of
a creature with a cistern and a meat safe
inside him! A horse would be useless in
the desert, where no oats or gass could be
had, but the brave, patient camel goes
steadily on without complaint until the
oasis is reached; then he champs his thorn
bushes, fills himself from the spring, al
lows the heavy package to be fastened on
his back again, and is ready for further
travel.
Now you know what sort of ship it is
that / am going to tell you about. 1t was
camel, named Solimin. He was of a
rare and valuable breed, known as
''herie, or coursers, because they are SO
much swifter than ordinary camels. Sol
imin's master Ahmed, was a poor man.
| He never could have afforded to buy full
grown camel Of this rare breed; and Sol
imin had become his through a piece of
good fortune. When little foal, Soli-
min was found in lonely place in the
desert, standing over the dead body Of
his mother, who had fallen and persisted
| by the way. Led to the brown tent
which was Ahmed's home, the orphan
baby grew up as a child OF the family,
| lay among the little ones at night, and
was their pet and plaything all the day.
The boys taught him TO knee, to rise, TO
carry burdens, to turn this way and that
at signal. The girls hang necklace of
blessed shells, saved for him the best of
the food, sang him songs (which he was
supposed to enjoy, and daily kissed and
strolled his gentle nose and eyes, As he
owners grew with him. Not another FAM
lily of the tribe possessed herie. Once
and again, Ahmed was offered a large
price for him, but he rejected it with dis
dain.
Would | sell my son-the son of my
heart?" he said, Neither will I part
with Solimin. Ry the prophet, I swear
it."
OF all the jewellers in the brown tent
Solimin loved best Ahmed himself, and
his eldest son, Mustapha. With them he
was docile as a lamb; bnt If strangers
drew near, or persons he did not like, he
became FESTIVE and fierce, screamed, laid
back his ears, and kicked with his strong
hind legs. A kick from camel is no
joke, I can tell you. All the desert
guides knew Solimin, and, for his sake,
Ahmed was often hired to accompany
caravans. Nay, once, at Cairo, Solimin
was chosen to carry sacred person of
the Khedive on a days excursion up the
Nile bank, which event served the tribe
as a boast for months afterward.
1t was the year after this journey to
Cairo that Ahmed met with terrible add
venture He and Mustapha, making their
way home after long Journey, had lain
down to sleep away the noontide hours,
according to the custom of desert travel
ers. Their camels were tethered beside
them, all seemed secure and peaceful,
when, sudden as the lowering ola cloud,
party of Arabs, belonging to a wild
tribe at enmity with all men, pouaced
on them Ahmed and his son defenue,.
themselves manfully, but what could two
men, surprised in sleep, do againsta doz-
en-? IN five minutes all was over. The
assailants vanished in a cloud of dust, and
Ahmed, who had been struck down in
the rush, recovered his senses, to find cam
els, baggage, belt, money, everything gone,
and Mustapha wounded and motionless
on the earth beside him. 4
Ahmed thought him dead They were
alone in the desert, hundred miles from
home, without food or water, and with
groan Of despair he sat down beside his
aon's body, bowed his head, and waited
uu1I death should come to him also. An
Arab believes in fate, and gives up once
more for all when misfortune occurs.
But Mustapha stirred, and Ahmed at
once sprang up. There was nothing he
could DO for the poor boy, exceptto chafe
and rub his hands; but this was some
thing, for presently Mustapha revived
enough TO speak.
'.Are they gomez" he asked.
Eyes, the accursed ones, they are gone,
with all our goods and with Solimin
The prophets curse light upon them!'
And passing from despair to fury, All
med tire v sand upon his head, and flung !
himself on the ground in helpless rage. |
Mustapha joined in with groans and la
mentations. II
When the father and son grew calmer, 1
they began to discuss the situation. All
med knew of small unfrequented oasis,
about twenty miles away. 1t was their
only CHANGE Of safety. but could they