Come - Desert Magazine of the Southwest

and their families but few comforts wore
available for women and children. A woman's
life in the dust and sweat of a
frontier post was a continuous struggle
against sickness, rustic housing, rough
transport, Indians, wild animals, snakes
and tarantulas. With grim determination
the courageous wives made homes for
their families in a harsh land surrounded
by the odors of the stable, sweaty uniforms,
dressed leather and omni-present
gun oil. A one-room school house was
provided for the children. The teacher
was usually a "school rnarm" brought
from the East. To supplement garrison
rations, the men often went hunting on
their own time. Venison was a welcome
addition to the bill of fare but a wary eye
was always alert for bears.
"Watch out for the grizzlies," was the
common admonition. Several troopers
were killed by the charging beasts.
The importation of camels to be used
as beasts of burden throughout the arid
southwest had become a favored topic in
the cantinas of the frontier. The idea
spread like a wind-blown prairie fire and
its impact reached Washington. In 1853
Secretary of War Jefferson Davis stood
before Congress.
"For military purposes," he implored,
"for express and reconaissance we believe
the camel would supply a need now
seriously felt in our service." Congress
was unimpressed and refused to grant
funds. Journalists picked up the popular
cry "Camels for America." Soon Congress
was pressured into reversing its
Desert/April 1979
decision. In 1855 the princely sum of
$30,000 was appropriated to finance an
expedition to purchase camels in the
eastern Mediterranean.
Major Henry Wayne was placed in
charge of the operation and the handsome,
41-year-old West Pointer arrived
at port within a week. Boarding the ship
he stared at the camel cage on deck, a
strange super "cheese box" 12 by 60
feet and high enough to accommodate
tall camels. Along with the 20 portholes,
a sizable opening was left on top through
which the camels could be lowered by
the ship's boom. On June 3, 1856 the
historic voyage began. Thirty-four camels,
food and saddles were procured in
Egypt, Turkey and Arabia and hoisted
onto the deck. Nine Turkish and Arabian
natives, expert as handlers, were hired
to care for the animals.
According to the captain's log, "the
33
return trip was the roughest ) lidve experienced
in over 25 years at sea." Due
to his ingenuity, however, the camels
survived the stormy voyage unscathed.
Knowing that camels grow leathery pads
over their knees, they were forced to
kneel and their legs strapped to the deck
just behind the knees. To protect them
from the buffeting of the rolling vessel,
straw was packed in burlap and placed
like giant pillows between the animals.
Each day, weather permitting, the
camels were rubbed down and currycombed
and the deck scrubbed and
whitewashed.
After three exhausting months at sea,
the "camel ship" arrived at Indianola,
Texas. On solid land again, the camels
went beserk — jumping, kicking and
spitting at their handlers and creating a
mild panic among the local populace.
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