If we thought we had problems facing 15,000 miles around Oz, at least we didn’t have a crazed camel to deal with, like early explorer John Ainsworth Horrocks.

If we thought we had problems facing 15,000 miles around Oz, at least we didn’t have a crazed camel to deal with, like early explorer John Ainsworth Horrocks.When Horrocks set out from near Adelaide in 1846 in search of good pastoral land, he took with him a veritable menagerie, including several goats who amused themselves in the night by leaping on Horrocks’ tent and eating it, and Harry the camel.After trying to eat several of the goats, Harry bit Garlick, Horrocks’ tent-keeper, severely on the head, then chewed all of the expedition’s flour bags, wasting most of the supplies.But worse was to come: as Horrocks was unloading his rifle one evening, Harry lurched to one side and set off the weapon, discharging a round which took off two of Horrocks’ fingers before shattering his jaw.Remarkably, Horrocks then sat down to dictate a calm, detached letter to the expedition secretary in which he said: “In this dilemma I was fortunate in having two most excellent companions”.“With very great reluctance I consented to Bermard Kilroy’s entreaty for him to return back and fetch Mr Theakstone and two horses, as I knew part of the country was inhabited by a fierce lot of natives, as they had attacked Mr Gill and myself on my previous excursion.“Mr Gill stopped to nurse me and his attention and kindness were not to be surpassed.”Sadly, in spite of Gill’s attentions and Kilroy walking 100 miles to fetch help, the stoic Horrocks died two weeks later, after which Harry was shot.It took two bullets to kill him, but not before he had bitten a stockman on the head as a parting gesture.