The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-09-26
A Camel on the Rampage.

We have often laughed over the story
of the man who had tiger by the tail,
and dared not let 60. But even his un-
pleasant situation has often been sur
passed by the comedy of thief's pun
ishment who mistook the quality of his
plunder. The Virginia City Chronicle
tells long and very droll story of
night adventure OF some prowling Mexi-
cans with an old camel. The following
is the substance of it:
It seems that a certain French settler
in Nevada owns herd of camels, Which
Oriental animals he pastures on his ranch
near Carson river, below Dayton. One
of the camels, dubbed "Old Heenan"
by the herders, is a monster in size, and
wears coat of fue silky hair, almost
foot long. The rascally Mexican va
uueros in the neighborhood coveted Old
Heenan's hair for their leggings and
saddle trimmings), and one night two of
them determined to catch him and clip
him. Mounted on their mustangs, they
rode softly to the Frenchman's ranch,
and finding the big camel lying down,
and apparently an easy prey, soon had
their lassos round his long neck. Old
Heenan felt the pull, and rose to his
feet in astonishment and indignation.
The little horses were horribly frighten-
ed at the living mountain of flesh and
bones that so suddenly lowered up be-
fore them; but the strong riatas were
made fast to their saddles, and they
could not get away. For the next few
minutes the excitement was intense-as
if whole menagerie had been let loose.
Old Heenan ran first at one mustang
and then at the other, with his mouth
wide open, and kissing and blowing with
rage; and the poor mustangs snorted in
terror. and jumped, and reared, an
tumbled down. The big camel rushed
around, intent on vengeance, and the
little horses plunged the length of the
Iassos, only to be twitched back upon
their launches again. The dust rose in
perfect smudge, and all the sage-bush
was trampled flat for space OF five
square rods.
The thievish Mexicans soon began to
be as anxious to get away as their horses
were, and making the best of bad job,
they whipped out their shears and cut
the lasso thongs. Old Heenan stood
scornfully, with the long riatas trail.
ing from his neck, and let his beaten
| ooimouVoio SaiioP on oho hOiu' Liz
thieves felt chagrined enough at theil
failure. Besides their rough handling,
they had lost their riatas, and these
would be hard to replace. They con-
cluded they would try to recover them
and presently one of them came sneakine
back on foot. Old Heenan saw him,
and charged at him in full fury, blowing
and swapping his teeth, and the scared
"greaser ran for dear life. Then th,
other tried it, but came off quite al
ignominiously. Finally, they led thei
mustangs to Piute camp, down tn,
river, and told "big Injun" the,
would give him five dollars to get thei
riatas off the camel's neck. The bi,
Indian was used to camels, and declare,
he wasn't afraid. He went-but in les
than fifteen minutes, he came back witt
Old Heenan at his heels. The sigh
struck panic through the camp. an
all hands scattered, pell-mell, Indians
squaws, papooses, and the thieyisl
vaqueros.
The old camel's blood was up now
| and ne came on, fairly snorting wit