PUECHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 227 



marching in single file, take position in rear of the infantry. I grant 

 that these manoeuvres will not satisfy the rigid eye of an European 

 tactician, neither are there any alignments nor sounds of tread which 

 give life and animation. The fantastical caparison of the dromedaries, 

 their ungainly figure, angular limbs, the ungraceful carrying of *,heir 

 long necks, and the bannerols hanging unevenly, as the animal rests 

 upon one haunch or the other, present at first a strange sight, which 

 recalls the artistic irregularity of the arabesque. And yet accidents 

 are less frequent in this troop, in which there is an appearance of con- 

 fusion, than in a body of regular cavalry. It is true that the Per- 

 sians are never inattentive nor heedless to what they are doing, an 

 essential quality in the management of this gigantic beast. 



When the zemhouretchis are to act detached from the main body, 

 either to surprise encampments and to cut off retreat or to bring back 

 supplies, they are escorted by irregular cavalry; sometimes afoot- 

 soldier is mounted and rides behind. When lying in ambush the 

 cannoneers dismount, and, making the animal kneel, get behind him, 

 using him as a rampart.* If the ground will permit it, they detach 

 the gun from the pommel of the saddle, and place it, upon its pivot, 

 on the ground ; the dromedaries, under a guard, are sent off a little 

 distance to graze. In camp the place of the zemhouretchis is about 

 the person of the chief of the army or the king. The commands for 

 their manoeuvres are given either by the voice alone or by the bugle. 



Besides the number necessary for mounting the zemhouretchis, each 

 corps is accompanied by twenty dromedaries, upon which cannoneers 

 are also mounted, to replace the men or animals that may be killed. 

 These spare animals carry also the tents and baggage of the officers 

 and men. 



Such as they are, the zemhouretchis are capable of rendering valua- 

 ble service. But notwithstanding all the improvements which Hadji- 

 Mirza-Agassi has made in them, there still remains much to be done, 

 for, there being no good iron-founders in the country, the balls are 

 imperfectly round and very rough, scratching and injuring the bore 

 of the piece, and consequently of too great windage, whence results 

 much uncertainty in the firing. This inconvenience is in part reme- 

 died by placing over the ball a wad of felt, which also allows greater 

 inclination in pointing, enabling grapeshot to be fired within range, 

 at almost any angle, as with a swivel. The charge is small, for the 

 piece having no recoil, might, if heavily loaded, jar the saddle vio- 

 lently and injure the dromedary. I shall give, in conclusion, a plan 

 of my own for remedying these inconveniences, which I have submit- 

 ted to the grand vizier. 



<* We have before us a very interesting notice by M. Jomard, member of the Institute, 

 of the formation of a dromedary corps in Egypt by General Bonaparte. During that expe- 

 dition the learned academician often witnessed similar mantmuvres. " When," says M. 

 Jomard, "a detachment of this corps was attacked by superior numbers they defended 

 themselves in the following manner : each soldier made his animal kneel down, and, dis- 

 mounting, entrenched himself behind it, and, so protected, used his weapons. Under 

 other circumstances, the squadron, company, or detachment, drawing up in order of bat- 

 tle, manoeuvre with precision according to a regular system of tactics, differing from those 

 of the cavalry. On overtaking with the dromedaries a hostile tribe the soldiers dis- 

 mounted, and, forming in battalion, easily conquered the Arabs." 



