The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1917-01-25
CAMELS OF AFRICA
Superb Animals Used by the
Arabs When On the Warpath.
TRAINED FOR GREAT SPEED.

"There are almost as many varie
tiles OF camels as horses" says n bulle
tin Of the National Geographic society
"The Arab name for camel is djemel
Those OF Tunisia. Tripolitanla and Al.
geria have one hump and are really
dromedarlcs. Certain breeds OF camel
can Withstand the great heat Of the
Sahara and others that OF the zero
weather Of Tibet and China.
ut is amazing to see the rnpldlty
with which n herd OF COO camels will
eat TO the ground n large pasturnge OF
prickly pear from eight to ten feet
high. Leaves stems, prickles and all
disappear like magic.
"In many parts Of Africa the natives
keep all their date stones aud give
them TO exhausted cnmcls. weary from
their long Sahara march. The camel
reslsts at FIRST. aud tho date stones.
molstened In a little water. are pushed
forcibly by the handful down the cam.
els throat after II has been made 10
knecl and then securely fastened. In
two or three days the camel learns 20
eat them Of It's own accord. The M.
tiyes say that these date stones mako
:. the hump OF tho camel strong and
GHf.
Tho camel In Its long march across
the Sahara frequently hnds very little
60 eat and lives on the fat OF It's own
hump. When this continues during n
long time the hump becomes nnbby
and almost disappears.
''rhe usual weight OF the burdens
carried by n camel varies from $50 TO
COO pounds for Journeys from town TO
town or on the border Of the desert
Going across the desert tho burden IL
less When u camel is being laden II
keeps up a continual snnrllng. and
should Il be overhurdcned Il refuses to
arise Most cumcls are vicious. and
their bite II very dangerous. Hardly
n week passes at the largo native hos
pital In Tunls but some unfortunate
cnmcl driver dies Of blood poisoning
caused 10y cnmers bite. The grind
ing motion OF camel's Jaw crushes to
pulp whatever Il bites, 40 that tho arm
or leg has to be amputatcd and blood
poisoning usually sets IN before the
patient can reach the hospital.
"ln the interior OF northern Afrlcn Is
n superb rncc OF camcls, known as the
mehnra singular meharD. or racing
camels. The mehara owe n great deal
20 the care taken IN their breeding
during the past 1000 years Ancient
writer's speak ~ camels used 10y the !
army OF Nerxes. more than 1000 years /
ago that had the speed Of the fastest /
horses. These were doubtless mehaa |
when a baby mehari Is born Il IL
Ewathed In bandages 10 prevent the
stomach from getting too large aud Is
taken into the family tent, where II Is
nursed and watched over with care
aud tenderness, When a year old Il
Is sheared and Is known from then on
as bou-keutaa. which means the ia.
ther OF the shearlng.'
when II IL two years old the meha.
ris training begins. A halter Is placed
around the head and a cord tied TO one
OF the fore feet IL is kept quiet first
by gestures and the voice. later by the
voice alone. Then tho cord IL loosen.
ed. but should II make a step II IL
tjed again. Finally II understands
what Is required. but the lessons are
only terminated when II win stand In
one place without moving for an en-,
tire day.
10 make the camel a fast runner
the rider whips It on both fanks with
\ rhlnoceros hide whip and cries out
in Arabic 10 excite IT, A young meharl
Is very fond OF its own skin and on
being struck starts ON a gallOp. The
whipping keeps up, and the camel tries
10 get away by running faster. The
long legs seem like wings, and II flies Z
past with the speed OF an ostrich. IL
will stop instantly at pull on the rein.
no matter what speed Il has been max. |
Ing.
"When the rider jumps or or should !
he happen TO fall, well trained me- |
hari will stand quite still aud wait,
while should the master happen TO be l
injured the faithful beast will never 4
cave him.
"A mehari is never used as a beast
n burden. All Il ever carries Is a sad.
Ait ANbhAtAhllS llht u NtAlcAu edhuiet |
made OF gazelle skin, dyed red, with a d
high pommel aud a cross I'm 'front.', two
'addlebags and rider The rider Is I
,uckled into the saddle by two belts. 4
Ills feet are crossed In front OF the sad. I
lie and rest ON the neck OF the me- L
larL His slippers are usually slung b
Icross the pommel. and the mehari is
'uided by the wriggling OF the riders
oes.
"An iron ring passes through one nos
rll OF the animal. aud a rein OF cam, !
lis hair is attached. !
"The mehara are used entirely by =
he Arabs when on the warpath, or =
azzia. A mehari on the warpath can =
ave three men. Two ride 1t, aud the :
bird takes hold OF its tail aud is pull =
d along. The latter changes places !.
nth the rider at intervals. When a
far party has lost so many camels that !.
here remains but one camel for every J,