Fraternity-Testvériség, 1960 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1960-06-01 / 6. szám
FRATERNITY 11 C. ARTO: ALWAYS ENROUTE TWO UNUSUAL MONUMENTS There are two strange monuments in the United States: one dedicated by the Mormons to the wonders of God and the other a private venture honoring man and beast. Six hundred miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the heart of Salt Lake City, Utah, stands a 15-foot column showing two sea gulls alighting thereon, a monument erected by grateful farmers to the graceful gull! As the harvest ripened in 1848 in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains, black clouds of locusts darkened the day and began to devour the grain. All efforts to stop or control the pests failed; women fainted; strong men wept; most men, however, fell on their knees in prayer. A great white cloud enveloped the great Salt Lake; it descended upon the locusts and devoured them. Fervent farmers were saved from starvation by sea gulls! A monument was erected and dedicated “in grateful remembrance of the mercy of God to the Mormon pioneers.” Not farm from Quartzsite, in the Arizona desert, stands a strange memorial to Hadji-Ali, camel-driver! When Jefferson Davis was Secretary of War, he persuaded Congress to vote $30,000.00 for the purchase of camels to be used in the arid Southwest. The U. S. Government imported 74 camels from Arabia and a prosperous German brought in 45 more on his own from Siberia. The Arabian camels were accompanied by Hadji-Ali, Syrian born son of an Arab father and a Greek mother. The project failed. The flinty ground was too hard on the hooves; the temperamental alien beasts were unmanageable; many broke loose and drifted in the desert for decades; others were auctioned off. The last one lived till 1934, dying of old age in the Los Angeles Zoo. Hadji-Ali continued with the Army, serving as a muleteer and an Indian scout. He died in 1902 at the age of 75. The monument near Quartzsite was personally built by bachelor James L. Edwards in 1935. The inscription reads: “The last camp of Hi Jolly”, Hadji-Ali’s Army nickname! SMART DOG That’s the Puli, shaggy sheep dog of Hungary. The experts in this country claim that the Puli can be taught as many as 75 commands, which is remarkable when you consider that the average for all breeds is around 16 commands. It is claimed that the Puli even does some things without command. For instance, he learns the limits of his owner’s property and thereafter will be reluctant to leave it and also will not allow anything strange to come in. The list of the Puli’s other desirable traits make him just about ideal. Generally gentle, he cannot be intimidated by anything or anyone when he is on guard. Despite his feral courage, his particular gentleness makes him an excellent companion for children. He is clean, easily housebroken, eats in moderation, and is hardy and resistant to disease. Although he is classed as a T
