Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-11-09
THE LAST AMERICAN CAMEL.

year.
THE LAST AMERICAN CAMEL.
Believed to Have Died Recently In
Arizona.
It Is believed that the last American
camel died in the Castle Dome noun
tains, in southwestern Arizona, a few
days ago, and word has reached here
from Fort Hauchuca that a Greek,
known as Hi Jolly, who had charge of
the first and only importation Of
camels ever made by the United States
government Is on his deathbed there.
1t was in 1853 that the idea Of employ
ing camels for transporting army sup
plies and equipment over the deserts
was conceived. At that time freight
could be carried over the waterless
wastes only at a heavy expense in
horses, oxen and mules. At that time
too. the heavy traffic to the California
goldf1elds was in progress and the
| bones Of thrist-killed animals strewed
the trail from Texas we'll into Califor-
MIA. Under these conditions, Lieut..
Edward F. Beale, who was later minis
ter to Austria; but was then stationed
at old Fort Yuma, conceived the idea
that the use Of camels would do away
with the sufferings Of emigrants, and
give the army quick and certain
method Of transportation. He believed
that the government should make the
experiment, and suggested the matter
to Jefferson Davis, the secretary of
war.
The war department approved the
suggestion, and commission was sent
out to ascertain the military uses to
which camels could be put In the
southwest. 1t reported favorably, and
an appropriation was secured for $780,
600 for the purchase and importation
Of camels.
In December the following year Maj.
Charles Wayne was sent by the de-
partment to the Orient, commissioned
to buy rs camels. In Egypt he bought
half that number, and secured the
others In Smyrna, paying about $500
| for each. The naval transport Supply
brought the camels. in charge of Hi
Jolly, to the United States in 1857.
Three died on the voyage. They were
landed off the Texas coast, and under
| the care of Capt. J. N. Palmer, half
Of the herd were driven to Camp
L Vpr6o rf1 ha akh 1oSk
at Indianalo, Texas. -,
Months were devoted to q series of
tests Of the physical strength and en-
durance Of the animals. Their employ
ment met with great opposition from
the army hostlers and teamsters The
camels were neglected and a number
Of them died, despite the efforts Of the
officers to give them a fair trial. It
was frequently reported that one or
| two had broken away and escaped dur
ing the night, and it was suspected
that unusual zeal was not used to re-
capture the animals.
Until 1861 about 80 Of them were at
Forts Verde, Ell Paso and Yuma. The
troopers and teamsters, however, could
not be induced to use the beasts in
| stead Of horses or mules, partly. be-
cause Of the clumsiness Of the camel
harness and the labor necessary in pre-
because Of an antipathy for the beasts.
For the last year or two of their stay
at the forts the camels were pen
sioners.
Then the civil war came, and in the
excitement Of the times, the camels
were forgotten. The forts were aban-
doned when the troops were sent east,
and the camels were allowed to wan
der away on the desert, sometimes in
pairs and sometimes in herds. They
scattered through the deserts and
mountains Of ARIZONA, Texas and New
Mexico, where several of them were
seen years afterward in the Sierra
Madre mountains.
In some instances they multiplied
rapidly, and numbers Of them were
caught by white settlers, Mexicans and
Indians, who tried. usually in vain, to
domesticate them. Some cases are
known in which descendants Of the or
iginal herd were tanned and used as
pack animals, and several Of them
were captured and sold to circus peo-
pie. P. T. Barnum at one time secured
four Of them, and added them to his
exhibition herd.
Reports have frequently been brought
in by prospectors that stray camels
were seen in the foothills and among
the cacti and sagebrush Of the desert.
They had become as wild as deer, and
life in the rocky hills had brought
about a change in their appearance.
Their hides had lost their hair, and
their hoofs their cushions, becoming
hard and norny.
Then for several years none of them
were seen, and the failure of offers OF
large sums Of money by circus people
to secure some Of them led to the be-
lief that the last Of the camels had
disappeared. More than a year ago
pair Of them, aged and feeble, were
captured in the Castle Dome noun
tains, and kept on small ranch owned
by the Howison brothers. A few
months later the female died, appar-
emily of old age, and since then her
mate has been pining away, until he,
too, died a few days ago.
Several efforts have been made to
secure pension for Hi jolly on account
of his care Of the camels, and his later