1 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: is an open book, all of these amazing tales right 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: to the Cabinet of Curiosities. In seven, Mercedes was a 5 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: secretary with grand ambitions, Having been born to an English 6 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,480 Speaker 1: mother and a German father. She was fluent in both 7 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: languages and leveraged them to personal success while working in Westminster. 8 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: But Mercedes wanted more. There was a great, big world 9 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: out there, much of it covered in blue, and that 10 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: was what she wanted to make her mark on. She 11 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: began swimming in the River Thames, building up her stamina 12 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: until she could swim for hours in the water. In 13 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: October of ninety seven, she became the first woman to 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: swim the English Channel. She had endured dense fog and 15 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: frigid water tempts, as well as the very real threat 16 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: of passing ships that couldn't see her. But she'd done it. 17 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,119 Speaker 1: She'd set a world record. At least she thought she had, 18 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: until another woman came forward soon after, claiming that she 19 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 1: had been the first woman to swim the English Channel. 20 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: After an investigation, the other woman's claim had been debunked 21 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: as a hoax, but its presence had poured doubt on 22 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 1: mercedes own achievement. Through media pressure and a desire to 23 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: prove her efforts as authentic, she took to the water 24 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 1: once again fourteen days later. This time, however, she took 25 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: a long proof. Not only was she followed by her 26 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: trainer in a small boat, she also wore a small 27 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: watch around her neck to track her time in the water. 28 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: But there was a problem with this vindication swim. When 29 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: she had first crossed the channel, the water had been 30 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: roughly sixty degrees fahrenheit. This time, though, the water had 31 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: dropped by six degrees, and although it was only slightly 32 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: colder than before, it was enough of a change to 33 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: take the wind out of her sails. Mercedes began her 34 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: journey at a m By one pm, she was already 35 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: feeling the effects of the cold. Her senses had dulled 36 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: and she would fall asleep for seconds at a time. 37 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: Her trainer tried to keep her alert, but Mercedes found 38 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 1: herself in a constant loop of wakefulness followed by seconds 39 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: of sleep. After an hour and a half without any 40 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: real progress, her trainer lowered a ladder into the water, 41 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: Mercedes refused to give up. She swam away from the boat, 42 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: but her body knew that it was time to stop. 43 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: Just before three pm, she took hold of the ladder 44 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: and her trainer pulled her into the boat. She had 45 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: failed to swim the channel for a second time, but 46 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: her efforts had validated her first. No one questioned her 47 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: any longer. That said, the idea of a sports celebrity 48 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 1: at the time was pretty new. There were no wheaties, 49 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: boxes or sneaker endorsements yet, and come the next news cycle, 50 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: she'd be another forgotten name in history. There was the watch, though, 51 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: the one she had worn around her neck as she 52 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: attempted to cross the English Channel that second time. Now, 53 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: the watches at the time were made with hinged backs 54 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: so wearers and technicians could easily access the movements inside. 55 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,119 Speaker 1: They were designed for function over form, but that left 56 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: them vulnerable in tropical climates, and when submerged in water, 57 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: the watches would often malfunction due to the moisture getting inside. 58 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: The watch around mercedes neck, though, was brand new. It 59 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: was named after a watertight shell, and its design was revolutionary. 60 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: For example, the crown on the side could be screwed 61 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: down to create a seal, and rather than use a 62 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: hinged back to hide the components, its front and back 63 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: panels were screwed into place. The result was a waterproof 64 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: and dustproof watch. After her swim, and after everyone saw 65 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: how her watch was still working perfectly when she got 66 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: out of the water, Mercedes Glites became its spokesperson. She 67 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: was featured in print advertisements describing the most rigorous stress 68 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: test any watch had ever undergone before ten hours in 69 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: the water, a testament to the engineering feat that was 70 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: this brand new watch. Lights didn't know it at the time, 71 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: but she not only cemented her own legacy as an 72 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: enduring name, but also one of the most famous watch 73 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: brands in the world. She helped take them from a 74 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: struggling to man operation all the way to a multibillion 75 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 1: dollar titan of luxury jewelry. Thanks to Mercedes Glights, a 76 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: new watch company was able to keep its head above water, 77 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 1: a company called Rolex. Animals have been used in war 78 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: since the beginning of time. Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, famously 79 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 1: used war elephants as he crossed the Alps, conquering much 80 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: of Europe in the process. Though you wouldn't see them 81 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: in use today. Elephants were a common site on the battlefield. 82 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,919 Speaker 1: They functioned much like today's tanks, plowing through scores of 83 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: soldiers and intimidating horses. The U. S. Army has also 84 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: utilized unusual animals in its military campaigns. During World War Two, 85 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: for example, napalm charges were strapped to thousands of bats 86 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: bound for Japan. Unfortunately, a few got loose and ended 87 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: up bombing an Air Force hanger, and that was the 88 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 1: end of the bat bomb idea. Dolphins have been trained 89 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: by the Navy to find underwater mines and interfere with 90 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 1: enemy divers. But perhaps the most unusual and ingenious use 91 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: of animals in the military came during the eighteen thirties. 92 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: As Americans migrated West, they quickly discovered how nefarious the 93 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: terrain was compared to the developed cities back in the East. 94 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,919 Speaker 1: There were deserts and mountains to cross. The environment was 95 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: often too harsh for horses to navigate safely. But one man, 96 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: Lieutenant George Croftsman of the United States Army, wrote back 97 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: to Washington, d c. With an idea camels. Camels could 98 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: carry hundreds of pounds on their backs, and go for 99 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: tens of my els with very little food or water, 100 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: and unlike horses, they didn't need metal shoes to protect 101 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 1: their hoofs either. But Crossman's idea didn't pan out at first, 102 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: his superiors in Washington didn't see the benefit. However, years later, 103 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: after Crossman had achieved the rank of major, he spoke 104 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: to Major Henry Wayne of the Army's Quartermaster Department. Major 105 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: Wayne knew how useful camels could be as well. On 106 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: Crossman's suggestion, Wayne wrote to the War Department. His letter 107 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: found its way to the desk of Senator Jefferson Davis, 108 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: future President of the Confederate States and a major player 109 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 1: during the Civil War. It took several years, but in 110 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: eighteen fifty three, Davis was able to convince Congress to 111 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 1: approve funding for Wayne's camels. Thirty dollars were appropriated for 112 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: the project, and Wayne was sent to the Navy ship 113 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: the USS Supply to acquire them. He first traveled to London, 114 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: then Paris to speak with camel experts and zookeepers. He 115 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: needed to learn how to handle the animals once they 116 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,599 Speaker 1: were on board the ship. From there, he traveled to 117 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: Tunisia for five months, Wayne and the supplies commander Lieutenant 118 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: David Porter, sailed to Greece, Turkey, and Egypt, purchasing camels 119 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: along the way. With thirty three camels in tow, they 120 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 1: traveled back to America in roughly three months. The ship 121 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: had to deal with choppy seas and heavy storms much 122 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: of the way, but on May fourteenth, the USS supply 123 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: docked in Texas, finally home. From there, the animals were 124 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: marched for almost two hundred miles to a camp much 125 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: like the ones Wayne had encountered in the Middle East. 126 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: Here he could train his camels to perform specific military duties. 127 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: He set a caravan of three wagons pulled by six 128 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: mules each to San Antonio. Along for the trip were 129 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: six of his camels. To measure against the mules their 130 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: mission bring a supply of oats back to the camp. 131 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: The wagons were only able to carry about eighteen hundred 132 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: pounds of oats back to the camp in five days. 133 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: The camels, however, could carry more than double that amounts 134 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: in half the time. The test was a success. Wayne 135 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: continued to put the animals through their paces and was 136 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: impressed over and over again with their ability to handle 137 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: the southwestern terrain. Meanwhile, Porter returned to Egypt for forty 138 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: one more camels, which he brought back at the end 139 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: of January eighteen fifty seven. However, a few months later, 140 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: newly elected President James Buchanan had Wayne moved back to 141 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: d c without him there to move the camel experiment along. 142 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: The animals remained dormant at the camp. Then the westward 143 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: expansion hit a major milestone. A railroad was commissioned by 144 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: Congress to build a more direct route between New Mexico 145 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: and California. Horses alone wouldn't be able to make it 146 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: that far, but luckily for California militiaman Edward Beale, there 147 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: was a whole corral full of camels just waiting for 148 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: their time to shine. Twenty camels joined forty four soldiers, 149 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: a dozen wagons, and almost a hundred dogs and mules 150 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: as they worked their way west. Each camel could tote 151 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: around seven hundred pounds without slowing down, often going over 152 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: rocks and sand that would bring the horses to a halt. 153 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: They ate very little and performed reliably, earning them a 154 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: potential position among the United States militaries other animal forces. 155 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: When a new road needed to be built. The camels 156 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: were there to carry materials and surveyors from site to site. 157 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 1: By the Civil War, however, the camel experiment had hit 158 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: a major roadblock. Some were captured by Confederate troops and 159 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: abused or even killed. Technology had also come a long 160 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: way in that time, and the camels were becoming less necessary. Eventually, 161 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: no one knew what to do with the remaining stock anymore, 162 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: so they were sold at auction, often to circuses or 163 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: private ranches. Kids attending the circus had never seen a 164 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 1: camel up close, and the animals drew large crowds for 165 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: a while. But when the crowd stopped coming, the owners 166 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: didn't sell them or donate them to local zoos. Instead, 167 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: they let them loose into the wild. For decades, these 168 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: camels roamed the deserts of California and New Mexico, the 169 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: last one reportedly passing away in April of nineteen thirty 170 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: four in Los Angeles. It was eighty years old. The U. S. 171 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: Army Camel Corps was a short lived idea with a 172 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: lot of potential and think All it really needed were 173 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: supporters who could see the bigger picture and help it 174 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: get over the final hump into mainstream use. I hope 175 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. 176 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:26,319 Speaker 1: Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn more about 177 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. The show 178 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 1: was created by me Aaron Manky in partnership with how 179 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore, 180 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: which is a podcast, book series, and television show, and 181 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: you can learn all about it over at the World 182 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: of Lore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.