Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-20
SHIPS Or THE DESERT
To Be Imported for Use In
Western Gold Fields.
FORMER EXPERIMENTS HERE
Camel Corps Once Organized in Ameri.
can Army.
FORMER EXPERIMENTS HERE
Camel Corps Once Organized in Ameri.
DRoMEDARIEs NOT POPULAR
However, They Performed Some Re.
markable Feats-Herd Gradually
Disappeared After Civil War.
Written for The Star.


It Is an established fact that there are
millions upon millions in mineral wealth ly-
Ing Suntouched in the heart Of that part
Of the west known as the Great American
Desert. which lies southwest of Salt Lake
and extends to the Sierra Nevadas. a water
less waste OF nearly three thousand square
mSlea.
Since the discovery Of gold in almost in
calculabie quantities in the midst of this
American Sahara a yearly toll in human
lives has been exacted by the guardian Of
the treasure. The desert claims her price
from the horde Of adventurous mortals
who. while endeavoring to satiate their
thirst for gold, count without that which Is
far more precious-water. With the discov-
cry OF valuable ore at Tonopah in 1900 the
attack upon what Is considered the worst
part OF this country has been unceasing
and few stop to count the cost in human
life when there are millions of treasure
in the balance.
A scheme is now well under way to over
come the terrors Of the desert that II sue
cessful Is expected to net an immense for
tune for group Of men who have under
taken the task-that of importing camels
ipto this country from the orient Surely
the ingenuity Of the American mind must
have reached an insurmountable obstacle
when the use of camels for gold mining
about to be done 80.
Camel Corps in the Army.
The enterprise recalls the efforts Of the
government to combat the forces of nature
| in the same way. 1t was in 1856 that JET
ferson Davis. who was then Secretary Of
War. conceived the idea Of organizing a
camel corps in the army and commissioned
MAJ. Henry c. Wayne to proceed to Cairo
ana arrange with the Egyptian government
for permission to import into me United
States number Of male and female drome-
daries for service in the arid southwestern
country In campaigns against the Indians.
and for rapid transportation of the malls
and supplies. The Navy Department, in
harmony with the mission, ordered Admiral
David D. Porter, who was then q heuten-
ant, to take command of the storeship
in his hands the matter OF safely trans
porting the camels to this country
shortly after the arrival OF the mission
In the orient there occurred an episode
which almost led to interna ttonal compli-
cations. and caused his highness the Vice.
roy OF Egypt. great modification at the
time. but the incident possessed hui
morous side as well. 1t seems that when
Quested. through the United States consul
permission to purchase and transport to
this country small herd of camels as
scientific experiment, the vlceroy was sx-
good will and interest ordered that six
camels, the finest obtainable, should be pur-
chased and, presented to the United States
government through the representatives
sent with the mission.
This was very gratifying to the officers,
who were notified that the gift was ready
to be delivered to them. Dress uniforms
were donned and large detail OF sailors
was brought ashore to act as a guard Of
honor for the royal gift. When the Amer
lean representatives arrived at the vice.
roy's palace at the hour appointed imagine
their CONSERVATION and Indignation to find
awaiting them six Of the most miserable
looking, NANCY. fiea-bitten and decrepit
representatives Of the camel tribe they had
ever seen, several Of which had to be
propped up on their feet to keep them from
lying down and shutting off the mortal
coil, frankly conceding that their time to
die from old age and disease was some
time overdue.
Trick of a Dishonest Steward.
Wayne and Porter, after an interval of
silent Indignation. withdrew with their es-
cort and Immediately notified the viceroy.
through the American consul that they
must decline to accept the gift, 1t being
pleased to exploit species. of very low
comedy or offering a direct insult to the
United States.
Immediately upon the delivery Of the
diplomatic note there was q hurry and
hustle, running back and forth. in and
around the vtcerOy's palace the equal Of
which had never before occurred in the
a horsernan, richly dressed and gorgeous
~ decorated. dashed madly from the palace
over to the consulate. requested an immedi-
ate audience with the American officers,