INTRODUCTION INTO THE UNITED STATES. 183 



ditions, will soon teach him to avoid them. It 

 is observed in the sheep-growing states of New 

 England, that sheep, brought from localities 

 where the laurel (Kalmia) is unknown, to those 

 where it abounds, often feed upon its foliage 

 and are poisoned by it, while those which are 

 bred in pastures half-covered by this shrub very 

 seldom touch it. 



I cannot speak with equal confidence of the 

 ability of the Arabian camel, and especially of 

 the mahari of the desert, to bear corresponding 

 trials. All high-bred animals are delicate, and 

 impatient of exposure to great extremes and 

 sudden changes ; and although Denham and 

 Clapperton speak of hard frosts in latitude 13° 

 north, and Lyon records a temperature four 

 degrees below the freezing-point, in districts 

 constantly traversed by the mahari, yet the finest 

 and fleetest animals will not bear the winter 

 climate of Algiers.^ But although we may not 

 be able to breed dromedaries of a speed equal 

 to the most extraordinary performances I have 

 described, there is no reason to doubt that the 

 more common animal, which will travel eight or 

 ten hours a day at five miles an hour, for many 

 days in succession, and with greater speed for a 

 shorter period, can be bred and used with ad- 



1 Carbuccia, p. 3. 



