The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-30
SHIP OF THE DESERT.
What the Arab Calls the Most
Useful of Beasts.
The Land of the CameI-IIis Speed and
the Load He Carries His Powers of
Endurance the Service of
WarIiI<c Sovercigns.


WarIikc Sovercigus.
The camel, whose area of sory
ltHde extends over a wide range
embracing Ara 5ia. India, Persia an,
the largest portion of Africa, unlik
the rest OF mans fOur-fOotcd friends an,
servants. seems to be a total strange
to the pleasures of freedom. At wha
era men first enlisted the camel int
their service it is impossible to guess
but that it was at a very early period i.
plain from the fact that 5000 camel,
formed part of the wealth which the pa
tlent patr arch was awarded after his
terrible trial. The Moors during theiI
rule in Granada introduced the camel
lnto Spain, but the East was ALWAYS the
real land Of the camelS. the peculiari-
ties of the animal being especially
adapted for the vast deserts for which
that quarter of the globe is famous. To
carry men and merchandise across the
arid waste an animal was needed at
once speedy. untiring, sure-footed and
capable of SUbsiSting where vegetation
was Scanty and water scarce; all these
qualifications are combined in the
camel. The pads of its spreading feet.
divided into two toes without being eX-
ternaliy separated. prevent It's sinking
IN the sand. over which it moves so
nOi>eleSSly that it has been POLITICALLY
and appropriately termed the shin of
the desert The callosities on the
fleXures of the limbs and chest.
upon which the animal rests or kneels
TO receive its load, prevent the skin
from cracking from contact with the
hot sand. The nOstrilS closing at will.
exclude the burning grains when the
simeon sweeps across the desert, while
the peculiar contraction of the stomach
enables the camel to go without water
for several days. He is as easily salts
fled in the way of eating, delighting in
the tough plants he passes on his
march, which his strong, nipper-like
teeth enable him TO mastcate with COM
fort. These good qualities are not.
however, unalloyed. The camel IS
liable to slip in sloppy places and dis
joint his hips. bears cold and wet
weather but i'll, and has so little re-
Imperative power that when tagged out
n" generally SuccUmbS altogether and
Is left to the jackal and vulture. Even
II h should recover he becomes a Door.
weak object, piteouS to behold, burden
to himself and of little use to his
master.
How many days the camel can 90
without drinking has never perhaps
been exactly ascertained; in fact. the
power OF endurance varies greatly in
oliGc-cat individuals, but it has been
stated on very good authority that the
dromedary can su5SiSt nine DAYS with
out water, though exposed the whole
time to heat resembling that of fur
nacc. 1t is certain that when the camel
does drink he always appears to be lay
ing III 4 stock for week or so. and has
even heen k own to swallow seven
gallons and a half at one time. This
allows three quarts a day for ten
days, which, though not sufficient
properly to quench the thirst of
so large an animal, may yet be able to
keep him alive. Comparative anatomy,
which has INDUCED in a legion of
experiments on the structure of much
Snferior animals. has not extended a
proper degree of attention to the camel.
1t has. no doubt, been ascertained that
this extraordinary creature possesses
one stomach more than other man.
MALTA, but curiosity has not been sufii-
ciently busy with that immense bladder.
streaked with sanguine veins. which the
animal sometimes blows out of its mouth
IN spring. In strings of thirty or forty
] have noticed. during the greatest heat
OF the day, majority amusing them
selves after this fashion. On such occa-
.SionS they will raise their heads. look
around wildly and then, with strange.
offensive noise. draw up the bag from
their Threats and blow it out inflated to
ats fullest extent. rs if to cool it by the
touch of the external air. In a few
minutes they would suffer it to collapse
and suck it back with ruckling noise
into their throatS. Is not this bag in
tended to contain, in addition to the
fifth stomach, supply of fresh water?
And Is II notin this that travellers. when
compelled to kill their dromedaries to
preserve their own lives in the Sahara.
1in6 ne pure transparent fluid spoken
of on such occasions?
1t is during a sandstorm, or on the
approach of the simeon. that the camel
displays the most striking proofs of
.sagacity Before the human eye can
detect the swiftly approaching column
of yellow or lurid gas which instantly
strikes dead all creatures that breathe
it. the camel discerns the danger and.
uttering wild roar. turns round and
plunces his nose into the sand. The
traveller also. who springs instantly to
the earth, presses his face against the
face of the desert. tightly closes his
lips aud protects his noStrils with both
hands What signs of suffering or agi-
tation the poor dromedary exhibits, the
traveller is too much terrified to observe,
but he himself experiences throughout