The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-06-18
ANOTHER MYTH EXPLODED
A Camel Can't Go Without a Drink as
Long as Man

Washington, June 1S.-The ancient
legend that a camel ordinarily goes
two weeks or more without a drink Il
ruthlessly destroyed in an official re-
port which Consul Frederick Simpich
sends to the State Department. Writ
ing from Ba gdad he declares that not
only have they no such remarkable
habits Of abstinence. but. on the con-
trary, they want a drink whenever
they can get it.
Unless camels have been especially
trained TO the abstinence" he says,
they cannot go as long without water
as is commonly supposed. When
marching near rivers they drink twice
day. Their habits are peculiar. Tn
like horses, they seem TO feel no fond
ness for their human associates.
though they will seldom wander far
from the caravan tents, even II LETT
united overnight. It is no uncommon
sight TO see 1000 to 5000 on the desert
wastes outside Ba gdad'S walls. They
represent the combined herds of cara
vans which have met at Bagdad,
bringing in wool. etc. and taking out
other cargo to different parts of Meso-
i potamia."
The Consul gives a very interesting
account of the entire subject of camel
| trans ortation. Nearly 10000 cameIs
are used in the Villayet of Bagdad as
| beasts Of burden, and with donkeys
| they form the only means of carrying
goods TO inland points Camel cara
| vans go in strings" seven camels to
| the string, with two men in charge.
| For camel $50 pounds is a good load
the pack being divided into halves
1
per hour on long trips across the des-
| ert. Twelve hours a day is an average
march, though swift messengers, like
| the mounted dromedary posts from
| Bagdad to Mossoul and Damascus
| make 40, 80 and even more miles at a
| stretch.
| Freight between Bagdad and inland
points in Mesopotamia Is commonly
packed in pairs OF bales. each bale
| weighing about 225 pounds. for the
| convenience of camel drivers in load
ing. The rates charged for carrying
freight across the desert vary with
conditions; being lowest when camelS
are cheap, labor and pasture plentiful
and freight offering none too numer-
Gus. For a common burden camel, $50
is fair price. though the trutterS, oI
swift messenger camels. are worth
more. y young camel can sometimes
be had about Bagdad for as little II
SO or 81
| Besides it's use for riding and carry
ing purposes. the Mesopotamia Arabs
depend on the camel for milk. Shoe>
are made from its tough, callOus hide
and in times OF famine its brittle
Strong-tasting flesh Is eaten. Con
densed milk, made by boiling freSf
camel milk until evaporation leave:
only Il hard, chalky substance. il priZ
ed among the desert nomads. BY rub
it reduces to powder ana when mixed
with warm water il makes a refresh
ing drink. highly esteemed among the
desert folk. 'MereeSy.'' it is called
will keep in good condition for tw,
years. When made from buttermilk i
tastes sour. and is priced among Arab:
who have eaten much Of sweet dates
Fresh, warm camel milk is also tn,
food of many valuable horses owne,
| by desert shiekS.
Camel calves are weaned in theil
| eleventh or twelfth month. When
| camel caravan is on the march tn,
very young camels are often tied upor
the backs Of the mother animals, sine,
long march. Valuable dogs and Aral
| desert hounds, called "StugeyS." alS'
| ride in the same way.