The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1885-07-18
RACING IN EGYPT.


Pony races and foot races appealed
but little to the native mind, but the
camel race, open to all corners, was a
matter Of the warmest interest to all,
both Englishmen and natives. The
Mudir himself, with large following,
attended the meeting, was most en-
thuslastic on the subject of this race.
and had entered his best camel for
it, his example being followed by the
owners of all the best camels.
The scene at the starting point was
quaint in the extreme. Camels were
there OF every size and hue, below
ing one and all as though in drest
agony; some Of them bestridden by
English soldiers on their red leather
saddles, some by officers who pre-
ferred the comfortable Soudan sad
die, some by naked Bischari or Abeb-
deb, SONS of the desert, who not un-
frequently disdaining saddles of any
kind, sat perchea on the rump OF the
animal as on iackass, and guided
their beasts by the nostril string
alone. Here and there among the
crowd were Bashi Bazouks on slim
necked, slender legged animals.
whose rich accoutrements showed
that their owners found war paying
trade, and townfolk who, perched on
their light wooden saddles, their
long robes bound closely round their
waists, intended evidently to make a
desperate struggle for victory.
At last, nrofiting by moment
when all the competitors seemed to
be in line-a result to obtain which
had taken some three quarters of an
hour-the signal was given to go, and
the camels started. Then some
trotted, some galloped, some turned
themselves round and round seeking
to tie themselves in knots and refus-
ing to move forward, others threw
themselves on the ground and rolled
their riders off, and one or two, dis
engaging themselves from the crowd,
started off in mad breakneck gallop
tox ard the hills, ,heir riders, albeit
wild sons OF the desert, unable to do
more than cling to the beasts for
dear life. Every now and then oc-
cured terrific collision between two
eager competitors, which flung both
camels and riders to the ground. As
the beasts rounded the turning post
the confusion became proportionate
TO the excitemnnt. Many camels
never got round the post at all, but
fell TO fighting one with another on
the far side OF it, in which conflicts
their riders, when natives, soon took
part with right good will. Others
sought to cheat, diminishing the dis
tance by 100 yards or SO, but these
defanlters were promptly spotted and
bounded of the course by the watch
full stewards. The winner was greet
ed as he passed the post ty such
cheers as completely disconnected the
poor brute, and had not his rider
warily forestalled him he would have
turned back in fright from before the
crowd.
The race was a good one, and one
OF the most interesting features about
it was the fact that, although the
winning camel was ridden by a ma
tive, the English soldiers, whose ac-
quaintance with camels dated from
but a fortnight, seemed to hold their
own very fairly against the natives,
who were. so TO speak, born and bred
camel riders. As to knowledge of
the habits OF the brute and adapta-
bility to long journey, the superior
ity of the native is incontestible but
at this short trial OF speed the Eng
lishmen showed themselves not
much his interiors.