Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-01-25
CAMELS OF AFRICA
Superb Animals Used by the
Arabs When on the WarpatFl.
TRAINED FOR GREAT SPEED.
These Mehari, as They Are Called, Can
Cover Hundred Miles Day With
out Undue Fatigue, and They Are
Never Worked as Beasts Of Burden.

out Undue Fatigue, and They Are
Never Worked as Beasts Of Burden.
There are almost as many varie-
ties of camels as horses" says bulle-
tin of the National Geographic society.
"The Arab name for camel is djemel.
Those Of Tunisia, Tripolitania and AL
geria have one hump and are really
dromedaries. Certain breeds Of camel
Sahara and others that Of the zero
weather of Tibet and China.
"It is amazing to see the rap1dity
with which a herd of 500 camels will
eat to the ground large pasturage Of
prickly pear from eight to ten feet
high Leaves, stems, prickies and all
disappear like magic.
"In many parts of Africa the natives
keep all their date stones and give
them to exhausted camels, weary from
their long Sahara march. The camel
resists at first, and the date stones
moistened in a little water, are pushed
forcibly by the handful down the cam
els throat after it has been made to
kneel and then securely fastened. In
two or three days the camel learns to
eat them of it's own accord. The ma
tives say that these date stones make
the hump Of the camel strong and
stiff
1.-The camel in it's long march across
the Sahara frequently finds very little
to eat and lives on the fat Of its own
hump. When this continues during
long time the hump becomes f1abby
and almost disappears.
'"The usual weight Of the burdens
carried by camel varies from $50 to
600 pounds for journeys from town to
town or on the border Of the desert
Going across the desert the burden is
less. When a camel is being laden it
keeps up continual Snarling, and
should it be overburdened it refuses to
arise Most camels are vicious, and
their bite is very dangerous. Hardly
a week passes at the large native hos
pital in Tunis but some unfortunate
camel driver dies Of blood poisoning,
caused by camers bite. The grind,
ing motion Of a camel's jaw brushes to
pulp whatever it bites, SO that the arm
or leg has to be amputated, and blood
poisoning usually sets in before the
patient can reach the hospital.
''In the interior Of northern Africa is
a superb race of camels, known as the
mehara singular. meharD, or racing
camels. The mehara owe a great deal
to the care taken in their breeding
during the past 1000 years. Ancient
writer's speak of camels used by the
army of Xerxes, more than 1000 years
ago that had the speed Of the fastest
horses These were doubtless mehara.
"When a baby mehari is born it is
swathed in bandages to prevent the
stomach from getting too large and is
taken into the family tent, where it is
nursed and watched over with care
and tenderness. When a year old it
is sheared and is known from then on
as bou-keutaa, which means the ia
Their of the Shearing.'
when it is two years old the meha.
ri's training begins. A halter is placed
around the head and a cord tied to one
Of the fore feet 1t is kept quiet first
by gestures and the voice, later by the
voice alone. Then the cord is loosen
ed. but should it make a step it is
tied again. Finally it understands
what is required, but the lessons are
only terminated when it will stand in
one place without moving for an en-
tire day
ITO make the camel a fast runner
the rider whips it on both TANKS with
rhinoceros hide whip and cries out
in Arabic to excite it. A young mehari
is very fond Of it's own skin and on
being struck starts on a gallop. The
whipping keeps up and the camel tries
to get away by running faster. The
long legs seem like wings, and it flies
past with the speed of an ostrich. 1t
will stop instantly at pull on the rein.
no matter what speed it has been max
ing.
"When the rider jumps off or should
he happen to fall, a we'll trained me.
hari will stand quite still and wait,
while should the master happen to be
injured the faithful beast will never
leave him.
"a melAri is never used as beast
of burden. All it ever carries is sad
die (something like a Mexican saddle,
made of gazelle skin, dyed red, with
high pommel and cross in front), two
saddlebags and rider. The rider is
buckled into the saddle by two belts.
His feet are crossed in front of the sad
die and rest on the neck of the me-
hari His slippers are usually slung
across the pommel, and the mehari is
guided by the wriggling Of the riders
toes.
"An iron ring passes through one nos
tril of the animal, and rein Of cam
els hair is attached.
"The mehara are used entirely by
the Arabs when on the warpath, or
razzia. mehari on the warpath can