Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-10-28
#isesllaasuas gsading.
LASSoED A WILD CAMEL.
The Beast Then Proceeded to TAX
CaftIeman on a journey.

The Beast Then Proceeded to Take
cattIeman on a Journey.
A report from Topeka, Kan, that
an expedition may be organized to
round up the wild camels Of this
region has aroused much interest
here.
There are several droves Of these
camels in Arizona. They are fire.
quently seen on the borders Of the
great salt desert. If it had been prov
ed possible to capture and domesti-
cate the animals they would have
been put to practical use by the peo-
pie Of this section before this.
The men who have attempted to
do what the members Of the Topeka
expedition now purpose doing met
with signal failure, and none Of them
care to go through the experience
again.
Them Eastern fellers can round UP
all the camels they want to. don't
want no more Of 1t in mine," was the
remark which "Clem" Miller made
when told Of the project. Miller has
a ranch near the Mexico border be-
tween Gila City and Yuma. Il would
not mind being off at safe distance
when the roundup takes place, but
excuse me from participation in 1t. 1t
would be fun for the onlooker but
awful for the other fellow. Maybe
they do use camels on the 'Sahary'
desert, but they must be Of a differ
ent breed from these 'Arizony' ami
mails.
when started my ranch a few
years ago thought 1t would be good
idea to rope a few Of these camels
that roam around here an use 'em to
bring my ranch supplies over from
Yuma. 1 also had an idea that could
establish a regular line of these beasts
of burden as my school teacher used
to call them, and do regular freight
ing business with them between the
towns Of Arizony. wasn't no tender
foot when I struck this part Of the
country. I'd lived too long in West
Texas, and In the Apache region of
New Mexico not to know how to hold
my own on the range or in the noun
tains. I had never met wild animal
that could get the best Of me In
square deal. But to tell the truth I
had never considered the camels as
being wild animals. The only camels
ever had seen until came to Ari-
zony was them that are carried around
In circuses back East. They were
tame enough.
well, one morning, four years ago,
about this time Of year, I set out with
three Of my cowboys to round up
bunch Of camels. My cowboys were
experts with the rope. Two Of them
were Texans and the other was
Mexican whom had picked up In So
nora His name was Manuel. He was
the only one Of the party who object
ed to going. He hung back and re-
peatedly told me that the camels were
no bueno,' and I had to give him a
good 'cussin' in my best Spanish be-
fore I could get him to hunch up to
the game.
1T was nigh on to noon when we
first caught sight Of the drove Of cam
els. There were five Of the animals
feedin' on some desert plains near one
of the big sand dunes about seven
teen miles north Of my ranch. They
were probably a half mile away from
us when they first saw us. They rose
their heads and seemed to sniff the
air a few times and then leisurely dis
appeared behind the sand dunes.
divided my party into two parts. Man
uel and started around the. sand dune
one way and the two Texans went the
other. way. We were to slip up on the
camels and rope as many as we could.
This plan worked all right as far as
1t went.
Manuel and I crept around the big
pile Of sand on our horses so careful
ly that we got within a few yards OF
three of the camels before we saw
them or they saw US. They were
standing in a nook Of the sand dune.
1.-The surprise was mutual, but re-
covered from the shock before the
camels and let go my coil Of rope with
my old-time speed and accuracy. The
loop settled far down over the neck
and chest of the animal before the
rope became fully stretched. My COW
pony settled back on his haunches,
but to my surprise. the camel walked
right off with him.
"Then followed such a race as new
er before witnessed The camel
didn't seem to be running, but I'll be
blamed If 1t didn't carry my pony
along at what seemed to me to be the
speed of a locomotive. My pony sat
down on his launches for a short dis
tance, but the dragging effects were
too disagreeable and he managed 10
get up, and the way that camel MADE
him run was marvellous. The pony
simply had to run or be dragged 10
death. The rope was looped arouno
the pommel Of my saddle and was
drawn so tight that 1t was impossi-
Bile for me to loosen it. felt In my
pocket for my knife to cut the rope,
hut 1t wasn't there.
"There was only one thing for me TO
do and that was to get off that COW
pony and leave him to his fate. II
seemed to me that he was being pull
ed along at the rate Of a mile min
ute when 1 dropped off in the SAND.
The fall shook me up considerable, but
was thankful I got out Of 1t alive. l
sat up and watched the camel ana
pony disappear in the distance.
looked back and saw my three cow
BOYS coming out towards me. None
of the other camels was In sight.
lone Of the Texans told me he had
roped a camel and was being carried
ee when he saved