The Red Cloud chief., 1880-09-30
THE SHIP OF THE DESERT.

NIlAt ntAfT saitFN. tHt@ eAr G@Af
BY being a ven fccbie AMI helpless Ia
tic craft. indeed for tss hrsG ~osk
after IT, launch an the grva, "a oi hfc
Il requires much careful watching 90
the part oi the
Strange a. q may sound. la very
truth a nahy camel - every wh4t A.
helpless n a human baby. IL cannot
stand alone; ~ilhsut help . cannot -
much ~ take Is own io,si even While
u long neck 5 at hrsi 50 hesiblo AMI
fragile, that unless ~ome one were con-
s,autly AZ hand - watch. the poor liz
tie creature would run every r,k of
dislccAting Il.
Those who have closely observed
camel nature tell IA 1, u never known
Il play or iruhc like lambs or colts. cr
like most Young creatures % IN" earth.
in fact. but that. In ~ hast huoi. IL j.
a. grave and melancholy a. IN IT. old
aye. born apparently with deep sense
al IL own uglincss. and = ncumtul
resignation ~ \ long and ioyies,
career.
When IL has reached Il. third yeas
the hump-backed animal - counted old
enough Ia begin IL life oi labor The
trainer. then take IL in hand They
teach IL Ia kneel and bear bar
dens. which gradually they make
heavier and heavier. until their charge
j. supposed ID have - com % the
fall strength 20 camel maturity. Thu,
i Dot until II i ahou; eight ycar- old.
IL the camel can rise with the load on
it, back. this Is proof positive that he
can carry L throughout the journey. al
though it sometimes happens. !; the
Journey be only = very short one. the
patient beast j. loaded ~ heavily that
IL must be- helped untoits feet by neal
ii bars and lever. In same places
camel. cry out against this excessive
loading in n mos, pitcots and distress
ing mauncr-the cry resembling that oi
n very young child in pain, ani being n
most dismal sound Ia hear; but In other
parts If the world they will bca Their
burden. however heavy. without COM
planning.
An ordinary camel, load il from
seven To eight hundred pounds. With
this weight on their backs. n train oi
camels will cross thirty miles Of desert
during a-day. Those used to carry dis
patches. having only the light weight
Of the dispatch-bearer. Of course are cN-
pecicd to travel much faster. however.
and will easily accomplish I've hundred
and forty miles in the same length Of
time.
Unyainly. awkward. rcpulsive- look
ing ~ these creatures are. with their
great projecting harciips and their
hairy humps. they have the cpmpenSa-
ton OF being most priceless treasures
Ia all those who dwell in tents in
the va, sandy plains Of Egypt, Arabia
and Tartary.
Their stomachs are ~ formed by Ma
turc that they are capable oi being con
verted into n set 81 water tank. n mum
Der Of small cells filed with the puresi
water being fastened to the sides Of
each. and when al food fails. IL makes
little difference Ia a camel or ~dromedary
AT least for n time.
Their humps are composed Of a fatty
substance. DAY b. day the hump ia
minishes. and the fat IL absorbed into
the animals system. furnishing nourish-
ment until food is forthcoming.
Thus. with these stores of water anil
fuel on board. the "ship" a 90 on
for n fortnight. or even n month. abs
lutely without eating OF drinking While
things that other crcaiures-unless.
perhaps. IL be ON bird Of the osi ich
tribe would never dream Of touching.
will furnish forth n sumptuOus meal for
a camel. OF a handful ~ th0rns and
brieIs he can make an excellent break
fast. and ! believe he will no, disdain
anything apparently so attempting n
q bit 81 dTy wood.
Provided that at certain periods of
the year a short holiday j. allowed the
camel for p~asturing. quite nj it, leisure.
To recruit il strength and I'll that
on It's back with fuel. IL will
serve its master. on such mesger fare a.
| have mentioned. for full fifty YEAR.
Still. all work and no play is as bad for
camei- IA il il for boys.
Even with plenty 81 fuel on board. the
desert-ship owners are wise enough not
to impose too long journeys upon their
heavilv-laien fleets
A camers foot is II n peculiar formL
ton. II il wide-spreaiing. and i pro-
vided with icshy pals Or cushions: and.
IL after a certain march rest were not
the skin would ~ OF these
pads. the flesh become bare. bringing
consequences direful. indeed Probably
the suffering creature would kBeel
fold it, long legs under It's body.
and, stretching o. its long neck On the
ground. calmly announce in camel
language that il would 20 no further.
IL Is no use whatever To try 10 make .
camel 90 agains; his will
If il once refuses. you have but two
wavs open to YOU: you mar quietly lie
down beside il until il isready To move.
you nay abandon il forever. Other
there Is none.
Ii IL n curious fact thai. not xithstani-
ing the softness of the camefs foot. 10
can walk over the sharpesf stones. or
OF roots Of trees. without the
danger Of wooading if-elf. and
iha, wha: this strznge beau most dreads
Is wet aud msrshy ground
We read iha; 1.-THE instant !, plzce.
its feet upon anything like mud. it slips
and slides. and generally. after stag
about like q drunken man. falls
heavily on Us q
The use Of the camel to the various
peoples Of the East il almost inesiculs-
Ole Many al Arab finds his chief sas-
ienanee in the cheese. butter and milk
IL the mother camel. The Eesh Of
young cameis i. also often eaten
The Roman Emperor He,iogzbalusi D.
sail 20 have reekoaei eameTs feet che
Of the dainfiesf dainiies Of his sunpsn-
Gus bangnsts. and he considered q por-
ton Of tender camel roast . thing 20 be
by no means despised. To this day. IN
deed. eaneFs hump cut into slices and
dissolved in tea Is counted . relish b.
the Tartar tribes
Cancels skin l. made into straps and
sandals. while brushes and ropes. cloth
and tents. sacks and carpets. are made
entirely from camefs hair.
Every year toward the beginning Of