The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-06-05
CAMEL RIDING.
Experience of Jack Tsrs In Navigating tn
Lofty Animals OF the Desert

experience OF JACK VAfS IN navigating the
Lofty Animals OF the Desert
think l told you that one of the
funny things of Korti camp life was to
see the Household troops, or the
Heavies. learning infantry drill.
"Fours Deep" '.fours right. left. y
''form squares" resounded in their
quarters all day long. Lord Charles
Beresford's Naval Brigade arrived on
the 9th. and having promptly pitched
their tents and made themselves COM
Portable on the following dav, they
turned out on camelback to learn to
handle these ships of the desert.
whats the British army a coming
top overheard q soldier who was
looking on saying to his comrades.
Its turning it upside down Lord
Wolscley is and metamorphorising ev-
erything. First he makes sailors OF US
infantry. sending us here in boats. then
he turns the cavalry into infantrymen.
and I'm hanged if he amt a MAX ing
cavalry Of the sailors" Perhaps he
was. Anyhow. the process was droll
in the extreme. With much persuasion
Jack had towed, strung into line, some
sixty camels. for the detachment to
ride which was to march to Metemneh.
Lord Charles Beresford and Sir Her.
bert Stewart and. staff. with many
more were there to see the Naval Bril-
gade drill. Mount" shouted Lieu
tenant Piggott. who was drilling the
contingent. Aboard went Jack. still
more quickly the camels snorted and
surged to their feet. spilling aud send
ing SPRAYING in all rections many a
brave sailor. Somehow none of the men
were hurt, and while Jack was trying
to remount the lockers on smiled audi
bly,; even Lord Charles Beresford himself
instantly produced his handkerchief
and smothered something that sounded
more like laughter than coughing,
though it was his own command which
was furnishing the fun. When the
sailors at length had securely mounted,
they seemed unhappy. Possibly they
did not like the short lurches and
swinging of the camels, and would have
preferred topgallant yard in storm
at sea. The camels also did not appear
to respond promptly to the tugs given
by Jack to the guiding head-rope
which serves as q rein for the animal.
and the brutes blundered against each
other. throwing the line at times into
confusion. Their officers, with wary
eyes to faults of that sort. strove to
correct them by calling to their men.
Hard . port. or s.hard a starboard
there" One sailor heard directed to
pass the rope across. as THAT brute
steers better from the port side" An
other Jack had SO loaded his animal
with the equipment for the march that
he was told to d smount and s.stow it
afresh, as the camel's saddle had bad
list !" Jack, however. was in dead
earnest, and meant learning to ride, SO
the detachment persevered. The spec
tators might have, think, recognized
this seriousness. Not good deal Of
quiet chaff went on all the same. The
rrnelest thing have heard for long
time was when the troop got the order
% trOt, and the sailors went Jog, jump.
hump in their saddles. as II they were
playing leapfrog on the camels- s.Don't |
bump 90, " cried q bystander to one OF |
ne sailors; you'll make his heao
Ache. " Jack turned upon his tormeutor |
melancholy eye, moistened either BY |
he pcignancy OF his situation or the |
old callousness Of the remark CAT |
~ Cor. London TELEGRAPH.