196 THE CAMEL. 



Arabs, had now for the first time attempted to 

 introduce it into our military service, we should 

 have had a thousand difficulties to overcome. 

 Objections would have been made on the score 

 of kicks and bites, errors would have been com- 

 mitted in the choice of saddles and bridles, 

 the horses would have met with accidents, or 

 conti'acted ailments from our want of expe- 

 rience and ignorance of farriery ; in the first 

 engagements, our mounted men would have 

 been thrown or run away with, they would 

 have been clumsy in managing their arms on 

 horseback, and probably been roughly handled 

 by the superior skill of the Arab horsemen. A 

 party would have been formed against the in- 

 novators, who would themselves have become 

 disgusted, and the attempt to introduce mounted 

 corps would perhaps have been abandoned ; but 

 if, in spite of accidents, mistakes, and losses, 

 we had persevered, we should have ended by 

 forming what we have now, an efficient and ex- 

 cellent cavalry." 



This argument is as valid with us as it was 

 in Algeria ; and if the experiment shall be tried 

 in the United States without success, it will 

 probably fail for reasons as specious but as in- 

 conclusive as those which General Monge sup- 

 poses against the introduction of cavalry into 

 the French military service. 



