Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-12-16
THE pRoMEDARY OF ASIA MINOR.
What are known as camels in this
nart Of A STA Minor writes COnSul-

What are known as camels In this
part Of Asia Minor, writes Consul
General Harris from Smyrna, are in
reality a common species of drome-
Diary. Camels have two humps, while
the race found in Smyrna has but one.
There is no scientific system of camel
breeding in that section of the coun-
try, and now,they are only to be found
in the villages of the ancient nomads.
or Yuruks, who are numerous in every
part of the country. The nomads make
a living for the most part in trans
porting merchandise from one part OF
the country to another where there
are no railway Communications.
There exist at present three varie-
ties of the dromedary. The first var
iety is distinguished by the long hair
of it's name, and more especially by
the length of the hair of the shoulders
and neck in the winter time: the Sec
ond has short, curly hair on the name,
neck and shoulders; the hair of the
third is perfectly smooth, and this
variety is chiefly found in the noun
tain districts of Asia Minor. These
varieties are obtained from cross
breeding with the two-humped camel,
which certain proprietors bring from
the district of Konia and Angora every
winter
The food of camels and dromedaries
in the district of Smyrna from the
month of September to March consists
Of straw and beans, which are mois-
tened, pounded and kneaded before
being given to them each evening.
From the month of March on and dur
ing the extreme heat of the summer.
they live chiefly on hay and grass.
The Yuruks of the highland districts
plant grain and valonia acorns in
fields where camels have pastured for
a season. The prices of dromedaries
the as follows: First variety. sSS to
$11O; second variety. $66 to SIS, third
variety, $50 to $66; while the animals
bred for the third variety are worth
only $26 to 50.
Dromedaries are used principally for
transporting merchandise, such as ce-
reals, valonia, figs, emery stone, lie
orice root, ETC., and in this capacity
they are indispensable. One sees as
many as a hundred sometimes in
single row led by little donkey, each
laden with the products of the inter-
Tor of Asia Minor, and all bound for
Smyrna, the nearest seaport. They
are so numerous sometimes in the
streets of this city that they block
traffic. In the rough mountain dis
tricts they are much more useful than
horses and dOnkeys, especially in
many districts where there are no
country roads, while at the same time
they can carry much greater loads to
market. Then, again, the cost of main
tenance is very much less than that
of any other beast of burden. The
third variety is especially adapted for
hilly country, and this is one reason
perhaps, why only this breed is to be
found among the villages situated in
the mountains.
At the age of three they are broken
to loads, but It is only at the age of
five or six that they can do the max
fmum of the work which devolves up
on them. The strength of a camel be-
gins to decline at the age of 20. as
the average life of the toughest breed
Is only about Is years. The cost Of
maintenance depends great deal up
on the liberality of the proprietors.
Among the Yuruks, who inhabit the
high mountain districts, their keep
amounts to practically nothing. The
cost of keeping a camel. however, in
the Menemen plain near Smyrna. dur
ing the winter months Only-that is.
about four-months' stabling-may be
estimated at $25.
The ordinary caravans consist usu-
ally of seven camels. and experience
has shown that t.is all that can be
conveniently intrusted to one driver.
The price for transportation varies
according to the locality and the
amount of work. but the average cost
of a camel will come to about so cents
day. In Smyrna one Turkish mer-
chant owns about 400 camels.
While, as the time passes. the camel
will not be able to withstand the keen
competition OF the new railways.
which are Piercing every part of Asia
Minor. vet. thanks to the power OF
tradition over the Turkish inhabitants
of the country and their fondness for
these animois. the caravan routes to-
day are still able to hold their own
side by side with the Anatolia, Cas-
saba and kndin railways. Hundreds of
camels pass over the caravan bridge
into the city of Smyrna every day,
and in the market place in front Of
the mosque Of Mahomet, at Constanti-
nople. many camels may still be seen.
AS far back as the middle of last
century Gen. Won Moltke. in his de-
scriptive letters from Asia Minor, had
many good words to say about the
camel. This animal" he said, can
carry burden Of nearly 600 pounds,