Glacier County chief., 1939-12-01

packtrain of mules and burros had
to have water with almost the same
frequency as human beings else they
would die. On the other hand, cameS
could go for days without water. This
was considered very important matter
in traversing the desert regions of Ne
vada, Arizona and sections of Califor-
mia. Consequently, the purchase Of
camelS was considered not only FEAST
Bile, but. in fact, a brilliant idea.
1t was a brilliant idea until it was
put into action. The camels came lum-
bering over the mountain trails from
Nevada into Montana and the trouble
started. Every place they went they
were greeted with CONSERVATION that
later turned to derlSiOn and from de-
rision to hatred.
Camels are VIGOROUSLY known as
surly. unpleasant beasts. II is prac-
tically impossible to make friends with
a camel. The animals are disagreeable
to work with and seem to carry a per-
petual crouch. This was a major factor
in arouSing the hatred of the Ameri-
can pioneers who became camel train
drivers. These men were used to the
companionShip of horses, mules and
burroS in their lonely mountain tricks.
Frequently a packtrain driver became
more attached to the mules or burroS
in his train than he was to his human
companions. Consequently the surly at
titude of the camels was a sore spot
with these drivers. Besides this the
camels were unruly.
The Indians were aStoniShed when
they first saw the camelS and most Of
the whites were equally nonpulsed.
Many of the camelS were killed by In
dams and others died from natural
causes when they reached the higher
attitudes in the mountains. Several
amusing stories are told of white hunt
ers mistaking the beasts for deformed
moose
Killed for Moose
A story is told of a Missourian who
spotted a camel where it had been
tnrnsd G Ss to Craze and He fre enref95y
tanned a good shot. Highly elated he
dragged the moose" into camp. When
the camel train boss discovered the
MiSsourian and his moose" he went
up into the air. F'uriously he told the
manded payment for the dead beast.
The elated hunter was much chagrined
when he had to pay with his rifle, am
munition, watch and gold chain. There
are number Of similar stories of
hunters killing the "deformed moose"
that have been handed down as sort
of Montana legend.
Added to these hardships, the camels
suffered from sore feet as a result of
traverSing rocky trails in Montana.
They were used on the Mullan road,
Besides this, the Montana packers did
not know how to load the animals.
There was no place to throw diamond
hitch on the camels backs and the
Montana packers knew no other meth
cd of loading. They had not had the
advantage of Arabian training.
According to legend, the final straw
that broke the camels' backs came
when they Stampeded a mule train
carrying whisky to the gold miners in
Last Chance gulch. Mules and horses
were always afraid and usually STAN
strange beasts. The whisky was all
loaded when the camels came round
bend in the trail. The mules went
wild, bucking off their kegs of whisky
and splitting a large amount. That was
too much for the Montana pioneers.
When their whisky was lost they de-
manded action in getting rid Of the
camels: plus heavy damages.
Finally the army authorities became
fed up with the complaints received
about the camels and decided to aban-
don their use in Montana. They were
taken 10 Arizona where they were used
for some time in hauling freight over
the desert regions. 1t became almost
common sight to see the numbering
packtralnS coming into desert settle
ment with a load OF provisions from
the outside
Eventually a percentage of the ami
mails died and the war department
failed to replace them. Soon there
wasn't enough TO make packing feasible
and the remaining camels were turned
loose. Stories persist in the southwest
and in some OF the wilder desert re-
gions OF southern California that
descendants of these camels are seen
to this day. However, these stories are
doubtful because. no authentic proof
has been obtained in recent times per-
tanning 10 the actual existence OF wild
camelS.