Milford chronicle., 1883-09-28

( bic for the camel to start off when I was
only half way up. Hassan grasped the
nose-line of camel and after much
tugging at it and great deal of ''whish-
tah," ''w-e-e-sh-tah, the camel con-
sented to lie down. I do not know if
the man who wrote of the perfumes of
Araby the blest'' ever smelled of a camel
or not If he did, that line was bitter
sarcasm.
Hassan then made seat for me with
some blankets in the after-compartment
Of the saddle. This latter article, by
the-way, is made of wood and iron, and
although result of primitive culture,
is admirably adapted to make a 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, 1 mounted, and I thought I
should split in twain, for it was much
like trying to straddle a good-sized ta-
bic. Then, being fully equipped, Has
san chirruped to the camel to arise,
whereupon that camel hoisted his back
end some ten feetin the air. did not wait
to see what else he intended to do, but
dismounted forthwith, skinning my
hands and knees in the process, for 1
came down to the ground quicker than
I intended. Hassan assured me that all
camels got up in that manner. doubted
it, but was not going to be beaten by
tylopod, so I tried again. When his
back end was hoisted I was ready for
him, and stood to my guns. But I for
got that his front end would have to
come up too. When it did, got off
again, at the expense of the cuticle Of
my nose. I then expressed my feelings
briefly but vigorously. The conclusion
forced itself irresistibly on my mind
that there were more points about a
camel's method of getting up than
would appear at first sight. Hassan
seemed to have no difficulty in keeping
his seat why, then, should I p? I de
termined to experiment, and told
Hassan to make the camel get up again
without me. I attentively observed
his actions, and found that he really
did get up one end at a time. 1t
seemed curious, but 1 was fain to accept
it. At last, however, I overcame all
difficulty, and started boldly down the
road. The camel walked-at least Has
san said so; am not sure what he did
As far as can be recollected now, he
slid first one side of his body, then the
other, along. 1t is an insidious kind of
motion. You imagine it is easy for
a while; then you think it is one of the
most ingenious methods of torture
known. After proceeding a few yards
became more emboldened, and put my
tylopod into a trot; but having no de-
sire for immediate disintegration, re-
lapsed into walk. We at last reached !
small creek, which, curiously enough, |
had some water in it. The camel was |
evidently overpowered at the sight, for
he laid down and rolled in it, after de-
posting me few yards away. did /
not like this, so determined to return. |
The joint efforts of Hassan and myself |
were needed to induce the beast to come |
out of the water. It was such rarity !
to him that he wished to make the most /
of it. When we had returned, natu-
rally wished to descend. How was it to
be done? Hassan solved the conun-
drum. He said, "Whishtah," and the
camel went down on his knees, dexter
ously shooting me over his head.
thought this was rude in the camel, but
Hassan said they always lie down that
way. This knowledge, however, did
not heal my bruises. The next morn
ing was unable to walk with my pris-
tine agility.
This day was the first Of many. For
two years I was doomed by stern fate
to ride those tylopods. During the first
six months of that time Twas too closely
employed IN attending to the manned
portions of my poor body to view camels
in any other light but that Of execraton.
I still execrate. But when physically
able I studied them. They seemed to
be worth a certain amount of study.
They are so beautifully adapted for pur-
poses of torture
The camel, taken per SC, and exam
med with the calm eye of reason, is
paradoxical, even in his best
His appetite, for instance:
as previously put, the goat is the only
animal which approaches him in this
But the camel has left the
goat in tine shade, and with a laudable
scientific spirit has opened up new and