A Lord and a Camel

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 6045, 10 September 1894, Page 3

A Lord and a Camel

Thus the Melbourne Standard on a recent mishap to a noble lord : —" Since the camel's advent in Australia woes have been piled on the unfortunate animal's back mountains high. In the excitable Burke district, because it competed with the carriers, it has been stoned, pelted, and abused even more than Chinamen. In West Australia its hardihood in carrying great loads long distances without a bite to eat or drop to drink has been put to severe tests. But to none of these things did the camel ever make the least objection. Apparenty, it was biding its time—waiting for the last straw, in fact, which was to break the back of its patience. The straw was provided in the shape of an umbrella. The circumstances of the occurrence are so unusual as to be set out with full detail by a chronicler of Coolgardie doings. Ic appears that one Lord Sudeley—earls and lords are muc.i more plentiful on the West Australian goldfields than gooseberries—after mounting his camel opened his umbrella, and gased upon the country at his leisure. But he chiefly saw stars. For the astonished camel, frightened out of its wits by seeing what was apparently a circular tent opened on its back, immediately shied and threw his lordship to the earth. Fortunately, no bones were broken, and by this time we trust that both rider and camel have recovered from being mutually amazed at each other's conduct. But the affair is interesting, as showing that it is possible to surprise and shock a camel. Students of natural history have long held that a contemplation of its own physical peculiarities had reduced the feelings of the camel from the beginning to a state of numbness. It was resigned to every burden, and would hardly raise an eyelid to blink .at the sight even of a flowing river after perhaps a fortnight's abstention from drink. Such meek resignation to an unkind fate would well be understood. '' When, "runs, the Arabian story, "the Lord God first began to seriously consider the He Himself

was much astonished at the creature He. had made." It was only natural'that the animal itself should be more astonished at the sight, and should suffer from the effects of its bewilderment to this day. But we now know that the camel has some vestige of self-respect left. It will not allow man to add to the enormities of its personal appearance by artificial creations placed on high.