Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-11-09
CA NIELS.
And II Neophyte's Experience with
Them,

CAMELS
And II Neorhyte,. Experience with
From Harper's Bazar.l
When the writer was in Australia it
was his misfortune to be engaged for
some two years in exploring certain parts
of the interior Horses were useless
there, as the country was so dry. Camels
were the only means of transportation.
When 1 heard of this thought in my in
nocence how nice it would be to initiate
the free Bedouin of the Sahara, and bound
along on the fleet-footed ship of the de-
sert over the burning sands of Central
Australia. From childhood's happy hour
| had read of these noble beasts. Camels
! were associated in my mind with much
that was beautiful-things that appealed
to my feelings, such as palm trees, dates,
cocoanuts, oases, goat skin water bags,
dusky maidens, sheiks and negro slaves.
Accordingly, one morning, when I
found two camels and an Afghan waiting
to convey me to the rest of the party, my
excitement was wrought up to fever heat.
The camels looked similar to pictures of
them | had seen in my boyhood, although
l could not tell whether they were true
tylopods or not The Afghan appeared to
be veritable sheik, and reioiced in the
name of Mohammed Golah Hassan. My
zeal inspired me to mount Immediately. /
went to look for ladder to carry out my
purpose. But Hassan informed me that
the camel would lie down, and thus ena-
BILE me to dispense with that article.
remembered, too that it would be quite
possible for the camel to start off when l
was only half way up Hassan grasped
the nose-line of n camel, and after much
tugging at it aud great deal of "wish-
tah, " "wh-e-e-sh-tah,' the camel consent
ed to lie down. do not know if the man
who wrote Of 'the perfumes of Araby the
Blest" ever smellcd camel or not. If
he did, that line was bitter sarcasm.
Hassan then made seat for me with
some blankets i'll the after compartment
of the saddle This latter article, by the
way, is made of wood and iron, and al
though result of primitive culture, is
admirably adapted to make man pro-
fame after intimate acquaintance. 1t is
capable of holding two persons. When
only one is to ride, he sits in the back
place.
Well, mounted, and thought should
split in twain, for it was much like trying
to straddle good-sized table. Then,
being fully equipped, Hassan chirruped
to the camel TO arise. whereupon that
camel hoisted his back end some 10 feet
in the air. did not wait to see what else
he intended to do, but dismounted forth.
WITH skinning my hands and knees in the
process, for l came down to the ground
quicker than l intended. Hassan assured
me that all camels got up in that manner
| doubted it, but was not going to be
beaten by tylopod, so / tried again.
When his back end was hoisted l was
ready for him and stood to my guns. But
forgot that his front end would have to
come up too. When it did, got of again,
at the expense of the cuticle of my nose.
l then expressed my feelings briefly but
vigorously. The conclusion forced itself
irrcsistibly Oh my mind that there were
more points about n camcl's method of
getting up than would appear at first
sight. Hassan seemed to have no diff
Guilty in keeping his seat why, then,
should |? | determined to experiment,
and told Hassan to make the camel get
up again--without me. | attentively oh.
served his actions, and found that he
really did get up one end ut time 1t
seemed curious, but was fain to accept
it. At last, however, l ovcrcame all diff
ficulty, and started boldly down the road.
The camel walked-at least Hassan said
so ; l am not sure what he did. As fur
ns can be recollected now, lie slid first
one side of his body, then the other,
along. 1t is an insidious kind of motion.
You imagine it is easy for while then
you think it is one of the most ingenious
methods Of torture known. After pro.
cccding few yards | became more en-
boldencd, and put my tylopod into 4
trot but having no desire for immediate
disintcgration. rclapsed again into walk.
We at last reached small creek, which,
curiously enough, had some water in it.
The camel was evidently ovcrpowcred at
the sight, for he lay down and rolled in
it, after depositing me few yards away
| did not like this, SO determined to re.
turn. The joint efforts Of Hassan and
myself were needed to induce tho beast
to come out of the water. 1t was sucl
n rarity to him that he wished to make tn,
most OF it. When We had returned,
naturally wished to descend. How wa.
it TO be done? Hassan solved the c1nun
drum, He said, Wvhishtah," and tn,
camel went down ON his knees, dcxtorous
, ly shooting me over his head. 1 though
, this WAS rude in the camel, but Ilassal
said they always lie down that way. Thi
knowledge, however, did not heal IN,
bruises. The next morning | was unabl
/ to walk with my pristine agility.
, This day was the first of many. Fo
two years ! was doomed by stern fat,
) to ride those tylopods. During the frs
: six months of that time l was ,too closel,
employed in attending to the maimet
: portions of my poor body to view camel
5 in any other light but that of execraton
j still execrate. But when PHYSICAL,
t able studied them. They seemed to b
: worth certain amount of study. The
S are so beautifully adapted for purpose
/ of torture.
J. The camel, taken per So, and examine
y with the calm eye of reason, is somewha
a paradoxical even in his best moment.
: His appetite, for instance as previousl
n put the goat is the only animal which NJ
:. pronches him in this respect. But til
II camel has left the goat in tho shade, an
Is with laudable scientific spirit has opei
ii ed up new and startling lines of invest
o CATION in the food question. A goat draw
the line at tobacco. A camel chews it in
!. thankful and mcditativc frame of min,
" and wishes for more. He has been know
lc to eat stones. Empty sardina tins he al
to sorbes with the zest Of connoisseIl
le "Damper' he idoliaes. Dry sticks !
j. can worry down ON pinch. Meat in Il
N last stage of decomposition is looked upC
by him with favor. But the thornie
u species of acacia are his forte. He d
is YOURS an acre or two of these bushes vii