Natural History in Anecdote Part 15

Camel Riding.

Camel riding is evidently an exercise which needs getting used to. Mrs.

Bowdich says: "High saddles are placed on their backs; and it requires either to be used to them, or to be particularly careful, not to be half-killed at starting. The rider places himself in the saddle while the animals are kneeling; and when they raise their hind-legs, which they do first of all, they send the unprepared traveller forwards, and his breath is almost taken out of him by the blow which he receives upon his chest; then as they get upon their fore-legs they throw him back, so as to endanger his spine. Their pace is at first very disagreeable, being so long and slouching."

Captain Riley describes his experiences as follows: "They placed me on the largest Camel I had yet seen, which was nine or ten feet in height.

The Camels were now all kneeling or lying down, and mine among the rest.

I thought I had taken a good hold, to steady myself while he was rising; yet his motion was so heavy, and my strength so far exhausted, that I could not possibly hold on, and tumbled off over his tail. Turning entirely over, I came down upon my feet, which prevented my receiving any material injury, though the shock to my frame was very severe."

A Camel's Revenge.

Mr. Palgrave who combats the idea of the camel's docility, unless stupidity may be taken as its synonym, gives a painful ill.u.s.tration of the savagery to which the camel may be provoked by cruel treatment, though we doubt if the elephant who is proverbial for his docility would stand the brutality to which the camel is sometimes treated. "A lad of about fourteen, had conducted a large camel laden with wood from one village to another, half an hour's distance or so. As the animal loitered or turned out of the way, its conductor struck it repeatedly, and harder than it seems to have thought he had any right to do, but not finding the occasion favourable for taking immediate quits, it 'bode its time', nor was that time long in coming. A few days later the same lad had to re-conduct the beast, but unladen, to his own village. When they were about half way on the road, and at some distance from any habitation, the camel suddenly stopped, looked deliberately round in every direction, to a.s.sure itself that no one was in sight, made a step forward, seized the unlucky boy's head in his monstrous mouth, and lifting him up in the air, flung him down again upon the earth with the upper part of his skull completely torn off, and his brains scattered on the ground. Having thus satisfied his revenge, the brute quietly resumed his pace towards the village as though nothing were the matter, till some men, who had observed the whole, though unfortunately at too great a distance to be able to afford timely help, came up and killed it."

The Terrors of the Desert.

Terrible stories are told of the sufferings sometimes experienced by camels and Arabs alike on desert journeys. Burckhardt gives the following narrative which is quoted by Captain Brown. "In the month of August, a small caravan prepared to set out from Berber to Daraou. They consisted of five merchants and about thirty slaves, with a proportionate number of camels. Afraid of the robber Naym, who at that time was in the habit of waylaying travellers about the wells of Nedjeym, and who had constant intelligence of the departure of every caravan from Berber, they determined to take a more easterly road, by the well of Owareyk. They had hired an Ababde guide, who conducted them in safety to that place, but who lost his way from thence northward, the route being little frequented. After five days' march in the mountains, their stock of water was exhausted, nor did they know where they were.

They resolved, therefore, to direct their course towards the setting sun, hoping thus to reach the Nile. After experiencing two days'

thirst, fifteen slaves and one of the merchants died; another of them, an Ababde, who had ten camels with him, thinking that the animals might know better than their masters where water was to be found, desired his comrades to tie him fast upon the saddle of his strongest camel, that he might not fall down from weakness, and thus he parted from them, permitting his camels to take their own way; but neither the man nor his camels were ever heard of afterwards. On the eighth day after leaving Owareyk, the survivors came in sight of the mountains of s.h.i.+gre, which they immediately recognized; but their strength was quite exhausted, and neither men nor beasts were able to move any farther. Lying down under a rock, they sent two of their servants, with the two strongest remaining camels, in search of water. Before these two men could reach the mountain, one of them dropped off his camel, deprived of speech, and able only to move his hands to his comrade as a sign that he desired to be left to his fate. The survivor then continued his route; but such was the effect of thirst upon him, that his eyes grew dim, and he lost the road, though he had often travelled over it before, and had been perfectly acquainted with it. Having wandered about for a long time, he alighted under the shade of a tree, and tied the camel to one of its branches: the beast, however, smelt the water, (as the Arabs express it) and, wearied as it was, broke its halter, and set off galloping in the direction of the spring, which, as afterwards appeared, was at half an hour's distance. The man, well understanding the camel's action, endeavoured to follow its footsteps, but could only move a few yards; he fell exhausted on the ground, and was about to breathe his last, when Providence led that way from a neighbouring encampment, a Bisharye Bedouin, who, by throwing water upon the man's face, restored him to his senses. They then went hastily together to the water, filled the skins, and, returning to the caravan, had the good fortune to find the sufferers still alive. The Bisharye received a slave for his trouble."

The Llama.

The Llamas are cla.s.sified as members of the Camel Family of which they are the second genus. The Vicuna (_Llama vicugna_) of the Peruvian Andes is one of these. It is a very beautiful animal, combining, as Professor Cunningham points out, to some extent the characteristics of the camel, the deer and the goat. Its neck is long and slender and carried with a graceful curve, and its legs are slight and elegant, its wool fine and silky. It is a timid animal and very wary of the approach of danger, seeking safety in flight, though often falling a victim to the rapacity of the puma, or the necessities of the Patagonian Indians, who eat its flesh and clothe themselves in its skin. The Llama, (_Llama peruana_) and the Alpaca (_Llama pacos_) are other species of this family. The former is used by the Peruvians as a beast of burden, as it will carry from a hundred-weight to a hundred weight and a half for fifteen or twenty miles a day. According to Mrs. Bowdich, at one time 300,000 of these animals were employed in carrying metal over the rugged mountain pa.s.ses for the Potosi mines alone. Like the camel, it refuses to stir when overloaded, and continues to move at a slow uniform pace throughout the day. Like camels also, they are apt to fight among themselves, when the wool flies in an absurd way, and if not separated, they do each other serious injury. When offended with their driver they spit in his face, their saliva being particularly unpleasant. The Alpaca which is also domesticated is useful for its fleece.

The Deer.

There are two families of Deer; that of the Mouse deer with its mouse-shaped head, and without horns, and that of the deer proper of which there are more than fifty species. There are five species of the mouse deer, genus _Tragulus_, all of which belong to Asia. They are found in Java, Penang, Sumatra, Borneo, Cambodia and Siam. The Indian Chevrotain (_Tragulus meminna_) is spotted. It belongs to Ceylon, though it is said to be common to the forests of all parts of southern India. Mrs. Bowdich says: "The smallest of the deer species lives in Ceylon; a lovely delicate creature, with l.u.s.trous eyes and of exquisite form. When full grown it is only ten inches high, fourteen long, and weighs about five pounds. Its throat, head and neck are all white; its body is grey, striped with black, and spotted at equal distances with yellow. Although very timid it is to be tamed; but if angry it kicks out its little hind legs and slender pointed hoofs with great violence. One which was domesticated, was placed on a dinner table, where it ran about and nibbled fruit from the dishes, answered to its name and returned the caresses which were bestowed upon it." The deer proper, genus _cervus_, is found all over Europe, Asia and America, one or two species belonging to the Mediterranean coasts of Africa. Of these the Red Deer, the Reindeer, the Moose or Elk, the Fallow Deer and the Roe buck are the better known species, all of which chew the cud, have a divided hoof, and shed their horns annually.

The Red Deer.

The Red Deer (_Cervus elaphus_) is still found in Scotland as well as in the forests of Europe and Asia and is commonly hunted for sport. The stag is a timid and apparently highly sensitive animal, but when brought to bay has often shown a strength and courage which has cost its hunters dear. It is one of the most beautiful animals in nature, and combines with its beauty powers of speed and endurance which are little short of the marvellous. Full grown it measures four feet six inches in height at the shoulders, and about five feet six inches in length. The hunting of the stag in England has been a royal sport for centuries, though owing to altered conditions it has fallen into disrepute of late years. The overcrowded state of the country near London, and the half tame character of the royal stags have rendered the performances of the Windsor stag hounds an exhibition more honoured in the breach than in the observance. It would be difficult indeed to find anything n.o.ble or en.o.bling in the following account of a stag hunt quoted by Captain Brown with deprecation, from the pages of "The Sporting Magazine."

A Stag Hunt.

"On Monday Nov. 20, 1820, the royal hounds met at Stoke Common, Bucks, where a remarkably fine deer was turned out. The field was extremely numerous. The deer, at starting, showed great sport, taking, at full speed, through the enclosures, making towards Slough, and afterwards for Datchet, where he crossed the Thames, and then took to the right, and again crossed the river. The deer proceeded up a lane at the back of Eton College, running with great swiftness into the yard of Mr. Castles, pork butcher. He boldly proceeded through the house into the street, with a cur-dog at his heels; and crossing Windsor Bridge, to the bottom of Thames-street, actually ran up the Hundred Steps, a steep and winding ascent to the Castle. On his reaching the top, he made a pause, and then returned into Thames-street, many of the sportsmen having rode round into the Castle, with the object of heading him as he came up the steps.

The stag crossed Windsor Bridge again with great swiftness, and pa.s.sed down Eton, entered the shop of Mr. Levy, an orange merchant, making his way in different parts of the house, till he got into the kitchen, where he remained some time: a great crowd was collected round the house. On his leaving the kitchen, he pa.s.sed through the back way into gardens. At this time, many hundreds of persons joined in the chase. This excellent deer, after having performed these extraordinary feats, and afforded a charming day's sport, was at last taken in attempting to leap over the high wall between Eton College and the Fifteen-arch Bridge." In the open country and in the olden time a stag hunt was, of course, a very different thing, though the hunting of so sensitive and so timid an animal as the stag could never be other than a cruel pastime. Of the speed and endurance of the stag a remarkable ill.u.s.tration will be found on page 127. Many years ago the Duke of c.u.mberland thought to make trial of a stag's courage by placing him in an enclosure with an ounce, or hunting tiger, on Newmarket Heath. The enclosure was made by a net-work of about fifteen feet high, and the contest took place in the presence of some thousands of spectators. On seeing the stag, the ounce crouched down and prepared to spring, but the stag kept such a steady front that the ounce, turn as he would, was out-manuvred by the stag and could not get a chance of turning his flank. After a long time the ounce was goaded to the attack by the order of the Duke, whereupon it leapt, not upon the stag but over the enclosure and among the people, immediately crossing the road and entering the wood opposite, where it fastened upon the haunches of a fallow deer.

The Tame Stag.

Stags have been tamed and brought largely under control but they are said to be uncertain in their temper, probably from their timidity. Many years ago Lord Oxford trained four red deer stags to draw a phaeton, and Captain Brown tells an amusing story of an adventure which befell him while driving his unique team in the neighbourhood of Newmarket. It happened that as they were proceeding on the road to Newmarket they heard the cry of a pack of hounds and immediately the four stags made off at the top of their speed, followed by the hounds who had sighted them or scented them from a distance. The animals were quite beyond control, but on reaching Newmarket, they ran into the yard of the Ram Inn where Lord Oxford had been accustomed to take them, and they were safely housed in a barn when the pack of hounds came up. Stags have also been trained to play tricks of various kinds. A tame stag at one time marched with a Newfoundland dog, with the band of the 42nd Highlanders.

The Reindeer.

The Reindeer belongs to the north of Europe Asia and America, where he is the chief source of comfort and wealth of the natives. In Lapland, as the author of "Tales of Animals" puts it, he supplies the place of the horse, the cow, the sheep, and the goat. "Alive and dead, the reindeer is equally subservient to their wants. When he ceases to exist, spoons are made of his bones, glue of his horns, bowstrings and thread of his tendons, clothing of his skin, and his flesh becomes a savoury food. During his life, his milk is converted into cheese, and he is employed to convey his owner over the snowy wastes of his native country. Such is the swiftness of the reindeer that two of them, yoked in a sledge, will travel a hundred and twelve English miles in a day."

The reindeer will draw about 300 lbs. weight, though 250 lbs. is a sufficient average load. His ordinary pace is said to be about ten miles an hour and his powers of endurance are very great. His pace for a short distance is thus given by Pictet, who took the measurements and tested the speed of three animals yoked to light sledges. "The first deer performed 3089 feet, 9 inches, in two minutes, being at the rate of nearly 19 English miles in an hour, and thus accomplis.h.i.+ng 25 feet, 9 inches, in every second. The second did the same in three minutes; and the third and last deer, in three minutes and twenty-six seconds. The ground in this race was nearly level." The reindeer is gregarious in its wild state, and retains its social instinct when in a state of domestication. When travelling, the hindmost animals follow their leader with dogged persistency, even though the leader may make a circuit which the followers might avoid by taking a direct cut. Nor will they accept the guidance of their drivers in such cases and if dragged out of their course by main force will return to it as soon as the force is removed.

In his own way, however, the reindeer will follow unerringly though his leader may be out of sight, moving along with his nose close to the ground and tracing the way by his scent, which is very keen. The reindeer is much troubled in the summer time by the attacks of small flies. De Broke says "The poor animal is thus tormented to such a degree, that the Laplander, if he were to remain in the forests during the months of June, July, and August, would run the risk of losing the greater part of his herd, either by actual sickness, or from the deer fleeing of their own accord to mountainous situations to escape the gad-fly. From these causes, the Laplander is driven from the forests to the mountains that overhang the Norway and Lapland coasts, the elevated situations of which, and the cool breezes from the Ocean, are unfavourable to the existence of these troublesome insects, which, though found on the coast, are in far less considerable numbers there, and do not quit the valleys; so that the deer, by ascending the highlands, can avoid them." Reindeer are extremely timid when hunted, but if the hunter can get sufficiently near to strike panic into a herd they seem to lose all sense but that of fear, and are easily captured in numbers. Writing of the North American Reindeer, Sir John Richardson says:--"The Chippewayans, the Copper Indians, the Dog-ribs, and Hare Indians of the Great Bear Lake, would be totally unable to inhabit their barren grounds, were it not for the immense herds of this deer that exist there. Of the caribou horns they form their fish spears and hooks; the hide, dressed with the fur on, is excellent for winter clothing, and supplies the place both of blanket and feather bed to the inhabitants of these arctic wilds." Captain Franklin gives the following description of the manner in which the Dog-rib Indians kill the reindeer. "The hunters go in pairs, the foremost man carrying in one hand the horns and part of the skin of the head of a deer, and in the other a small bundle of twigs, against which he, from time to time, rubs the horns, imitating the gestures peculiar to the animal. His comrade follows, treading exactly in his footsteps, and holding the guns of both in a horizontal position, so that the muzzles project under the arms of him who carries the head. Both hunters have a fillet of white skin round their foreheads, and the foremost has a strip of the same round his wrists.

They approach the herd by degrees, raising their legs very slowly, but setting them down somewhat suddenly, after the manner of a deer, and always taking care to lift their right or left feet simultaneously. If any of the herd leave off feeding to gaze upon this extraordinary phenomenon, it instantly stops, and the head begins to play its part by licking its shoulders, and performing other necessary movements. In this way the hunters attain the very centre of the herd without exciting suspicion, and have leisure to single out the fattest. The hindmost man then pushes forward his comrade's gun, the head is dropped, and they both fire nearly at the same instant."

The Moose or Elk.

The Moose or Elk is the largest of the Deer kind, and often attains to and even exceeds the size and bulk of the largest horses. He is less graceful than other members of his family, having a short thick neck, necessary perhaps to sustain his huge antlers, which sometimes reach five feet in length and weigh as much as sixty pounds. He escapes the torment of insects by taking to the water, in which he is an expert swimmer. Like the other animals of the Deer kind he sheds his horns annually. Year by year these huge growths increase in breadth and in the number of branches they bear, until there are sometimes as many as twenty on each horn. He is docile and easily tamed, and has been broken to run in harness. The Elk occupies much the same geographical area as the reindeer, though not travelling so far north.

The Fallow Deer and the Roebuck.

The Fallow Deer (_Dama vulgaris_) is smaller than the stag, but similar to it in colour, form, and habit. It is this species which is domesticated and kept in the parks of the wealthy in England. Fallow Deer often quarrel among themselves over rights of pasturage, the herd dividing into two and engaging in a pitched battle for the possession of the disputed land. The Roebuck is smaller than the Fallow Deer, his height being about two feet six inches and his length three feet. He is less sociable than other species of his kind, living alone with his family and not in herds like the Fallow Deer. He is found in Scotland and in the northern parts of Europe.

The Giraffe.

The Giraffe (_Camelopardalis giraffa_) belongs to Abyssinia, Nubia and South-Africa. It is the tallest of living animals, attaining to the height of eighteen feet. Its body has some similarity to that of the camel in form, and its head, which surmounts a neck seven feet long and bears two horns six inches long, resembles generally that of a horse.

Its tongue, which can be extended seventeen inches, is very mobile and can be so tapered as to enter a small ring. It is used in tearing off the foliage of the trees upon which the animal feeds. Its neck, but for its length, is like that of the stag, and its legs are slender. The hide is spotted like that of the leopard and when young is of a light red colour, which becomes deeper with age, that of the female becoming a yellow brown and that of the male a dark brown approaching to black. In repose it lies on its side, resting its head on its hind quarters.

Though only living in a wild state, the Giraffe is a mild and docile animal, only fighting in self-defence, and then making powerful use of its heels. The lion is its great enemy and if it succeeds in leaping upon its back there is not much chance for the giraffe, which usually runs until it drops from exhaustion. A blow from the heel of the Giraffe in the right place would probably kill any of its enemies, and even the lion has been known to pay dearly for coming within its reach.

The History of the Giraffe.

The Giraffe was known to the ancients, though, like the gorilla, it has been re-discovered in recent years. Le Vaillant saw and described the giraffe, but he was credited with having invented it, and it was not until a live specimen of it was brought to Paris that his credibility was established, Mrs. Bowdich, who happened to be in Paris at the time this animal arrived, gives an amusing description of its triumphal march from Bordeaux to the Capital. "A deputation from each large town through which she pa.s.sed," says Mrs. Bowdich, "formed of the munic.i.p.al authorities, met her; and one of the most learned savants went all the way from the Jardin des Plantes, to accompany her on her march. 'La giraffe,' however, did not appreciate these honours, and was often impatient under the etiquette imposed on her. On one occasion she broke loose from her cavalcade, keeper and all, and das.h.i.+ng among the hors.e.m.e.n, scattered them right and left, some on and some off their steeds. A dignified mayor lay in the dust, and by his side rolled the painstaking savant who had performed so long a journey in her service.

The enthusiasm did not abate when she reached her destination. Thirteen thousand more than the usual weekly number pa.s.sed over the Pont d'Austerlitz alone; and as the public curiosity did not but increase for six weeks, steps were obliged to be taken to prevent the mult.i.tude from pressing upon her. Her love for roses was very great; and she eagerly s.n.a.t.c.hed them from those who carried or wore them, to their great astonishment; for few could calculate on the distance which she could reach." Mr. Gordon c.u.mming describes a herd of ten giraffes which he saw moving together along an African valley, forming an imposing spectacle.

Hollow-Horned Ruminants.

We come now to a family of great importance to the human race, the family which includes among its members the Ox and the Sheep. These are grouped as hollow-horned ruminants, this one touch of nature making the whole family kin. The hollow-horned ruminants are divided into numerous sub-families, of which the Ox, the Antelope, the Sheep, and the Goat are the best known representatives. The horn by which the family is characterised, comprises a hollow h.o.r.n.y sheath which covers a bony core, and which, except in one case, unlike the horns of the stag, which are shed annually, is permanent. Sir Victor Brooke divides the family of the Bovidae into thirteen sub-families. I Bovinae, II Tragelaphinae, III Oryginae, IV Hippotraginae, V Gazellinae, VI Antilocaprinae, VII Cervicaprinae, VIII Cephalophinae, IX Alcephalinae, X Budorcinae, XI Rupicaprinae, XII Nemorhedinae, XIII Caprinae.

The Bull, The Bison, and The Buffalo.

The sub-family Bovinae includes the Bull, the Bison, and the Buffalo. The antiquity of the ruminants shrouds their origin in obscurity. They are of frequent mention in the sacred writings as belonging to the earliest historic period, and as living in a state of domestication in all times.

The Bull has a very wide geographical area, and is found in most parts of the world. In England, as the Rev. J. G. Wood puts it, there are almost as many breeds as counties, and they are generally distinguished by the length or shape of their horns. The "long-horned" breed belong to Lancas.h.i.+re, the "short-horned" to Durham, the "middle-horned" to Devons.h.i.+re, besides which there is the "polled", a hornless breed. Of the Bison there are two species, one belonging to Poland and the Caucasus, and the other to North America. The Buffalo belongs to the south of Europe, to India, and to North Africa, the Cape Buffalo inhabiting the south of "the dark continent."

The Bull. The Ox. The Cow.

Few animals show as much difference of disposition in the male and female as the Bull and the Cow. The Bull is often excited to ungovernable fury, is generally unsafe and often dangerous. These characteristics have doubtless marked him out as the object of sport in the Roman Amphitheatre and the Spanish Bull fight. The Cow, on the other hand, displays a gentle and docile disposition, is placid, mild, and obedient to the will of those who govern it. The Bull is kept mainly for the purposes of breeding, being too uncertain for use as a beast of burden or for other employment. The Ox which is the subdued offspring of the Bull and the Cow, is much more amenable to control and therefore a much more useful servant to man. The Cow is invaluable for the milk it supplies, upon which mankind is dependent for b.u.t.ter and for cheese.

The Bull.

The Bull is a handsome animal and of great strength, especially about the head and neck. Its fierceness has often been turned to account by the farmer, for it is an excellent animal to dispute a right of way, the force of its arguments usually bearing down all opposition. It has been known also to use its strength for the protection of other animals. "Two robbers," says the author of "Domestic Animals and their Treatment,"

"took a pig, weighing fourteen stone, out of its sty, and drove it along a lane leading towards Rotherham. On coming to a lonely path across the fields they thought it would be better to kill the pig at once in this quiet place, where no one would be likely to hear the cries of the animal. One of the robbers accordingly took a knife out of his pocket, and commenced cutting the pig's throat. The poor pig struggled violently, and managed to escape from his hands, running squealing into the next field, with a fearful gash in his throat. The men ran after the pig, but found in the field a bull grazing, who seemed at once to understand the state of the case, and took upon himself the champions.h.i.+p of the wounded animal. The bull ran furiously at the robbers, who fled for their lives, and only just managed to escape a toss from his horns.