The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-07
THE WILD CAMEL.
An Interesting Animal of the Gen.
trel Asian Desert.
They Are Captured Only at Great Risk
and Expense and Only Rich Natives
Can AFFORD to Organize Hunt
tnS Expeditions.

As far back as the fifteenth century
writers on Asia told of vague ruInors
that wild camels existed in the great
Cobb wastes of the central part of the
continent. The existence of the wild
camel, however, was never proven to
the western world until within the last
fifty years, says the New York Sun.
Ten or twelve years ago Gen. Prejeval-
sky brought back to the museums of
Russia number of skins of this animal
1t is found to abound in very consider
able numbers in the western part of
Chinese Turkestan, and the fact that
the world has known so little of it is
due to the scarcity Of white explorers
in that region until quite recently and
to the wildness of the animal, which
renders it very difficult of approach.
During the expedition Of Mr.. Bonvalot
and Prince Henry of Orleans, the adven-
turesome son of the duke of Chartres,
in 1ss9-90, Prince Henry collected in the
region of Lob Nor quite number Of
facts with regard to this interesting
animal The question whether the
wild camel is the parent stock of the
domesticated animal or whether, on the
contrary, he is descendant of the tame
camel is not yet settled and perhaps it
never will be. Instances have occurred
in Spain and quite recently in Guyana
of camels escaping from their masters
and in the course of years becoming
very wild.
The natives at Lob Nor told Prince
Henry that wild camels are found about
six days to the north of Lob lake In
the summer they go up into the noun
tains, but they always return to the
same places, there being certain dis
tricts to which they are accustomed.
They wander about the desert feeding
on scanty heritage in troops of fifteen or
sixteen, all Of them females except one
male, which becomes the undisputed
lord of his harem after terrific combats
with other males. The females have
two young every three years, and the
male protects them until they are
old enough to be weaned and to de-
pend on what the desert affords for their
food.
1t is very fatiguing and difficult to
get near them. The only way in which
they are hunted is to hide near pond
on whose brink traces of wild camels
have been discovered. Then when the
animals come to drink, the hunter, con-
cealed In the reeds, picks out a good
specimen and blazes away with his sim
gle-barreled gun. Unless he is good
shot he will lose his prize, for he has
NJ 10 tel~ A.
camel is only wounded it will make off !
with its companions, and the hunter |
will never get near 1t again. While |
Prince Henry was at Lob Nor three |
young men who had gone out to hunt |
wild camels returned from the chase. |
They had seen great many camels, |
but had only killed two. They had cut |
the skins up into rectangular pieces
ready to be worked up into their manu-
features.
The best season for the sport is in
winter, for nearly everywhere the water
is then frozen over so that the places
where the camels come to drink are
very few and the hunter is pretty sure
to find them. The natives believe these
camels are not descended from domes-
ticated animals. ''Our fathers and ira
aition," they said to Prince Henry,
represent them as always wild. More
over, a. domesticated camel cannot do
without man, but follows him. Every
domestic animal is descended from wild
ones."
When the chase for wild animals is
it is very profitable. The
,amel's skin is In great demand for
boots and the hair makes very good +
10th. Only rich natives, however. can
these hunting expeditions, as
t is necessary to send several men out
% forward provisions to them, to fur
lish animals to transport them, which
sometimes die, and altogether consider
lble risk is incurred