The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-07-21
OUR army CAMELS
The Festive OrientaIs Uncle Sam
Once Tried to Adopt.
A BRIEF AND UMRULY CAREER.

Their Deadly Hatred Toward Mules,
Their Craving For Taste Of Soldier
and Few Other Eccentricitiss
Proved Their lnsIorious Undoins.
The United States governments first
and only venture into the use of cam
els as army transports on the south
western frontier was sanctioned by
congress through the efforts OF Jet1er-
son Davis, then a member OF the mill
tary commission and later secretary or
war. Davis had commanded troops In
the southwest in the Mexican war and
knew what it was to march for days
over dry, barren country in scorcll-
ing heat, with nothing to drink but
hot, dry air and nothing to greet the
eve except cactus and rattlesnakes.
The rapid development Of California
after the gold strike Of 1S4S made nee
essary provision for the transportation
Of troops and supplies to the new coun-
try over a desert trail, which was a
task that set patriotism at a premium.
Jefferson Davis asked for camels. and
congress finally authorized an expedi-
ton to the orient to buy them.
The expedition brought back nearly
100 animals, which were added to from
time to time till the number grew to
1oS. They were stationed at Ell Paso,
Yuma, Ariz.; San Antonio and other
points on the frontier.
The return trip across the ocean
with the camels Is recorded in anus
ing detail by Lieutenant d. D. Porter,
who was in charge. Each animal was
provided with competent chauffeur,
who wascaretaker, Interpreter and bag
ga &c master in one Most Of the animals
got seasick, and so did the drivers, and
both complained bitterly OF the az
rangements. The camels wished they
hadn't come and showed it by kicking
and biting pieces from various officers,
who We're not to blame.
After landing In Texas the camels
did not improve perceptibly intheir ma
lures. Their particular aversion was
the army mules. Even the younger,
inexperienced camels learned quickly
to kill a mule with one blow OF the
hind foot and INDUCED in that pas
time frequently. Their taste for army
officers remained undiminished, and the
chauffeurs got the blame every time
captain lost some Of his anatomy.
The soldiers took to the camel with
reciprocal affection. In the first place,
they didn't like his looks, contending
that the soft, faraway look in the CAM
els eye indicated that his mind was
not on his business. Then the soldiers
couldn't get used to the odor radiated
by the oriental beast-circuses not be-
ing in vogue-and many Of them said
that Kipling was perfectly correct in
his opinion that a camel smelled most
awful vile. Kipling hadn't said 1t yet.
but soldiers are farseeing and knew he
was going<o say it.
Besides, the camel was no good TO
ride, the soldiers agreed. His ambling,
rapid stride. made them seasick, and
they wanted no animal which it took
ten minutes to awaken when the In
dams attacked them in the night. No
American had lived up to that period
who could tie cargo on one Of the
beasts SO it would stay on. The cam
ell is not constructed fiat on top, it Is
remembered, and only clever Arab
chauffeur could load one to travel any
distance without losing the supplies.
The high record IN dead mules was
made. it Is said, by camel In San An
10 h<e, MIin
kicked seven valuable mules into eter-
nifty. and one day some soldiers, friends
Of the late mules. took Major of up on
high cliff and came back and said he
had fallen off accidentally" No ex-
haustive probe was made Of Majors
disappearance.
A caravan loaded with supplies went
into the city of Sutherland Springs on
one occasion, and the camels We're wa
tered at the town well. 1t was the
boast Of the city that the well had
never gone dry. About half the cam
els took drink and the we'll was dry.
The disturbance caused by the remain
ing thirsty camels set the population
into a panic.
But the endless feud between the
camels and the soldiers soon convinced
the government that railroads would
do just as we'll The rush to CaltfOr-
mia was we'll over and frontier trou-
bles We're we'll under control by the
time the war broke out. The govern
ment withdrew the foreign camel
agents and closed the foreign offices.
By the time the war was over the cam
els died and some were stolen. Others
escaped to the desert, and even today
Il hoary wild, camel, white with age.
occasionally terrifies Sunday newspa-
per feature writer's into writing sonle-
thing about it. Very likely the ones
which didn't go to the desert swan
back to Egypt. Both reports are au-
thenticated In the same degree.-kan-
sas City Star.
Car Windows and Fussy Women.
Every street car window was G'ade
to puzzle the fussy woman IN"
u nP