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hazardous to purchase camels about cities, particularly if they have been used in a caravan. Such are almost always diseased.

any kind. Previous to leaving the United States the "Supply" had been admirably fitted to transport the animals. Heap had procured a lot of very good camels at Smyrna, all sound, not one In the future transportation of camels turning out badly; but he had to send Captain Porter advises the purchase of some distance into the interior for them. young ones, one or two years old; and the Konich, in Asia Minor, is one of the most former he had on board, the heartiest of the famous camel stations, and the great stop- whole lot, and required very little attention. ping place for caravans between Smyrna His vessel could carry ninety of this size, and Persia, about seven hundred miles but forty only of their mothers. Camels from the former place, and about twenty-one or two years old are about the size of five days' travel camel pace. No matter a twelve month heifer, and would pack how fine the animal looks, it is always close without injury from their weight.

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BECHARIEH DROMEDARY.

In Texas, such could be trained for burden or riding camels, and form a corps of mounted dromedaries, sufficient to expel any hostile Indians from the country. On their swiftest horses such foes could not escape the enduring, steady pace of the ship of the desert," which will accomplish one hundred miles in a single day. Dromedaries will go through all kinds of woods and weather, wading through mud where a horse would be stalled. They require but little harness and no shoeing, and meeting an enemy will lie down, forming a rampart with their bodies, and not,

| like horses, subject to a "stampede." If camels should be imported one year old, in two more they could be used with light burdens and fit to be trained for a dromedary with a rider. This seems to be a better plan of introducing them into the United States than the slower process of breeding. Before leaving Smyrna, the officers took on board two Turkish saddlers, one of whom was a professed camel M. D. These native doctors are queer fellows. At Cairo one of them boiled a young sheep in molasses, and forced the dromedary to swallow this dose, half scalding,

for some ordinary complaint. Another prescribed a piece of cheese to cure a slight cold; and an ounce of tea with five grains of gunpowder for a camel with swollen legs. Cauterizing with a hot iron is a favorite remedy, and there is scarcely an animal that does not bear some such marks. On one occasion, when a camel was not able to rise up, a native advised Captain Porter to pour boiling pitch over her loins, and he was sure she would rise. The captain did not doubt the quick efficacy of this application, but tried a more simple remedy; and, rubbing the legs with hard brushes, it rose instantly.

The prices of camels vary from fifteen to one thousand dollars. At the time of this expedition their value was much enhanced by the demand for the Crimean war. But in war or peace the Frank, whether he deals with Mohammedan, Jew, or Christian in the East, must calculate to pay well for his alienage.

Among the animals purchased were two remarkably handsome ones, a Nomaniah, from Omar, and the other a Sennai, of Nubia. The former is supposed to be the swiftest and the most enduring, and its easy motion is owing to moving its hind and fore legs, on opposite sides, at the same time. A rolling motion characterizes the Becharieh dromedary; and this species is taught to carry its head very high, which gives them a very handsome appearance. Captain Porter recommends the Becharich as best adapted for our climate. No burden camels were obtained in Egypt; still he thinks favorably of importing such from that country. They are generally very large, and will carry six hundred English pounds on a journey, and for short distances, one thousand pounds. The best are from the villages of Lower Egypt, and worth from thirty-five to seventy-five dollars, not including the pay to the dragoman and peasants, which increases the price to almost double the original cost. Mr. Heap succeeded in purchasing two very fine Bactrian males; one had been brought from Persia, and the other picked up near Samos; they were hardy animals, and gave very little trouble on board the ship; one of them was ten feet long and seven feet five inches high, and nine feet nine inches around the body, including his fore hump. Part of the vessel's deck had to be cut away to accommodate the height of one of these Bactrians.

Nature has made a wise provision for this species, in common with all camels, for as soon as the warm weather commences, their thick fur or wool falls off entirely. Before winter arrives, however, the coat is on again, full and luxuriant, and apparently sufficient to protect them against the severest cold.

At Smyrna four fine Loks were purchased, which had been trained as Pehlevans, or Wrestlers. Among the Turks wrestling matches between camels is a favorite amusement. Many gentlemen keep them for no other purpose; and to amuse his wife one person in Smyrna had twenty at once. When quite young, the camels are trained to wrestling. They seem to enjoy much pleasure in the contest, exhibiting great dexterity while throwing each other. There was a young camel on board, only a month old, and, having been born under the American flag, he was named "Uncle Sam," and one of the Turks amused himself on the voyage by making a "Pehlevan" of him. When only six weeks old he was more than a match for his teacher, and often hurt the sailors by throwing them down suddenly on deck.

The female camel produces her young once in twelve months; at four years he is loaded for all purposes; when five, he is in full vigor, continuing so until nine. From this period to thirteen he begins to fail, and at seventeen he is old. If not overdriven the camel will march loaded from sunrise to sunset, stretching his neck from side to side along the road, gathering herbage, and in this way will travel from thirty to forty miles a day. It is necessary to give him rest every sixth day.

The camel is the most gentle and submissive of all animals, and so patient as to travel until completely exhausted; then falling, never to rise again. Its condition can always be known by the size of the hump, which is a greasy substance, not unlike a cow's udder. The re-absorption of this body compensates for the want of food, and during a long march or a famine it gradually diminishes and disappears.

On the 14th of February, the expedition sailed direct for the United States, and reached the mouth of the Mississippi on the 10th of May, where the camels were all safely transferred to the charge of Major Wayne. Thence he proceeded with them by slow daily journeys to San

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Antonio, moving so on account of their | the transportation of military stores berecent sea voyage, and the comfort of the young animals born on the voyage. In his report to the Secretary of War, the major writes: "The weather was exceedingly hot and the roads dusty, unusually so, I am told, yet the animals traveled without suffering, and are in good condition. After acclimation, I think they will be capable of rendering good service."

Camp Verde, in Green Valley, some sixty miles from San Antonio, was selected for the permanent station of the animals. It is a military post, and here they proceeded in the month of August, 1856, and have since been engaged with success in

tween these two points. The experiment has been successful, and the usefulness of the camel for that interior region is no longer a question among those who have seen them there at work. Major Wayne regards the acclimation "certain," but the experiment fairly to be determined will require five or six years. He entertains but little doubt, that in ten years the race can be spread through Texas, and thence to any part of our continent. Several of the animals have died, the most from some accident; and from the hair of one Mrs. Shirkey, at Victoria, Texas, knit a pair of socks for the President, Mr. Polk.

Resolving fully to make the experiment of acclimating the camel in the United States, our government again dispatched Captain Porter, with Mr. Heap, in the ship"Supply," for a second load, and ten thousand dollars to defray the expenses. In November, 1856, the expedition arrived at Smyrna, and from three hundred camels Mr. Heap selected the best, most being young females of the Arabian breed. Six were a present from the sultan, and the vessel returned with forty-four in all; eleven more than were shipped last year. Three died on the passage, and the remaining forty-one were landed in good order at Indianolo, Texas, on the 10th of February, 1857, and thence joined the others in Camp Verde.

Mr. Beale, the superintendent of the wagon road from Fort Defiance, has recently made an interesting report to the War Department. The camels have carried seven hundred pounds, principally provender for the mules, and were much less jaded than those animals. Mr. Beale believes it easier to manage a train of twenty camels than five mules. They eat little, preferring the bushes to grass, and live, to use his words, on food with which "other animals would starve." Every other beast of burden, unshod, reached El Paso lame, except the camels, not one of which ever exhibited fatigue.

CHRISTMAS, PAST AND PRESENT.

A GAIN merry Christmas draws nigh, and once more we greet the readers of THE NATIONAL, and in wishing them all the compliments of the forthcoming festive season, call their attention to a few ancient and modern customs, which in our former articles we were necessarily obliged to omit.

which old writers devote but little attention to, but which, nevertheless, were solemnized by our "Christian sires" with great pomp and devotion. It appears from the following extract from the "Popish Kingdom," that, as at the present time in some parts of Europe and South America, they partook of a dramatic character: "Three masses every priest doth sing upon that

solemn day,

With offerings unto every one, that so the more may play.

This done, a wooden child in clouts is on the altar set,

About the which both boys and girls do dance and trimly jet,

And carols sing in praise of Christ; and for to help them here,

The organs answer every verse with sweet and solemn cheer."

Fosbroke states, that after the Te Deum a stable was prepared behind the altar, and the image of the Virgin placed upon it. A boy, from above, before the choir, in the likeness of an angel, announced the nativity to certain canons or vicars, who entered, as shepherds, through the great door of the choir, clothed in tunics and "amesses." The Gloria in Excelsis was then chanted by many boys in the vaults of the church, who played the part of angels. Immediately on hearing this, the shepherds advanced to the stable, singing "Peace," "Good will," etc. As soon as they entered it, two priests, in dalmatics, who were stationed at the stable, said, "Whom seek ye?" The shepherds answered, "Our Saviour, Christ." The two priests then, "opening the curtain, exhibited the boy, saying, The little one is here,' as the prophet Isaiah said, Behold the Virgin,' etc. Upon these exhibitions they bowed and worshiped the boy, and saluted his mother. The office ended by their returning to the choir and singing Alleluia.

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The churches then, as now, were decked "Christmas comes but once a year, -we speak of the churches in Europe— Therefore let's be merry! !" with laurels, holly, yew, and other everwas the jovial motto of our ancestors, and greens. The mistletoe was, however, well did they carry out in practice the never admitted into the sacred edifices, it spirit of its exhortation. The holy Christ- being regarded as a heathen and profane mas morn was melodiously ushered in by plant, appertaining to the rites of Druidbands of carolers, whose sacred strains ism. How changed are the customs since awakened a feeling of love and adoration | then. Superstition has paled before the for the day upon which Christ was born. light of the gospel, and enlightenment, to a Immediately after matin service, the grand great extent, has taken the place of idolatry festivities commenced; but ere we treat and ignorance. of them, let us examine a few of the religious observances of ancient Christmas,

The Church of England, as of old, sanctions the decorating of her sacred edifices

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with evergreens, and sees no harm in permitting the mistletoe to keep company with its green friends, the holly and the ivy; and now, as of old, the church bells may be heard right merrily ringing in the anniversary of the day which gave to the world a Saviour, and the "psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs," tell, as heretofore, of the happiness which reigns around, while the ivy green and charming holly, blended with the mistletoe, neatly arranged over old pictures, and canopied above the cheerful fire-place, speak of the joy which reign within. Above all evergreens we love the brave holly, even though not the most delicate creature to handle, for, like many other beautiful things, he bears a stinging thorn. Nevertheless, old holly, dearly do we love thee, and fondly have we, time and again, sang :

"The holly! the holly! O, twine it with bayCome give the holly a song;

For it helps to drive stern winter away,

With his garment so somber and long; It peeps through the trees with its berries of red, And its leaves of burnish'd green, When the flowers and fruits have long been dead,

And not even the daisy is seen. Then sing to the holly, the Christmas holly, That hangs over peasant and king; While we laugh and carouse 'neath its glittering boughs,

To the Christmas holly we'll sing.

"The gale may whistle, the frost may come
To fetter the gurgling rill;
The woods may be bare, and warblers dumb,
But holly is beautiful still.
In the revel and light of princely halls

The bright holly branch is found;
And its shadow falls on the lowliest walls,
While the brimming horn goes round.
Then sing to the holly, etc.

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The ivy lives long, but its home must be
Where graves and ruins are spread;
There's beauty about the cypress tree,
But it flourishes near the dead;
The laurel the warrior's brow may wreathe,
But it tells of tears and blood;

I sing the holly, and who can breathe
Aught of that that is not good?
Then sing to the holly," etc.

We last year alluded to some of the superstitions which formerly existed, and in some instances still exist in England. Since then we have learned that in Derbyshire the watchers on that mysterious night

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