bh the Cachemire Goat of India. 99 



ihels; and the same camels that leave this place do not go 

 'on to Bagdad, these caravans being bound only from one 

 town to another; so that he is often obliged to wait on his 

 journey till another caravati is ready to set off. The khans 

 or chieftains of these countries are also frequently at war 

 with each other; and the traveller may be sometimes shut 

 up six months, or a year, in some town, from which he dares 

 not attempt to stir. — Such are the reasons of the journey 

 being so tedious. 



" It is impossible to bring the sheep in question in any other 

 way than by these caravans of camels^ by putling a pair in 

 panniers upon each camel. This would cost at least 1500 

 piastres for the hire of the camels; besides, at least, 15C0 

 more, to pay the confidential person employed to purchase 

 and convey them : and besides all this, it would be still ne- 

 cessary to hire three or four persons to take charge of those 

 animals during a long journey. 



" It is questionable, however, how far one could count on 

 the fidelity of this description of people ; for they are often 

 tempted by the love of gain, instead of fulfilling their com- 

 mission, to stop in those distant countries, where «ne can 

 only hear of them onee a year, and speculate with the mo- 

 ney which has been advanced to them. We have experi- 

 enced this ourselves. Twelve years ago we intrusted 50,000 

 piastres to a factor who went to get shawls manufactured for 

 us at Cachemire; and we are still waiting his return : in the 

 mean time he is amusing himself with speculations at our 

 expense. 



"Thus, setting aside these inconveniences, it would be ne- 

 cessary tocalculate on an expenseof more than 50,000 piastres, 

 without the certainty, even if the object were attained, of 

 saving a couple of pairs of the sheep. Their food is iier- 

 bage; but^ as they have to pass through deserts, it would be 

 necessary to have always sufficient quantities in store ; and 

 this would require still rnorc camels for its carriage, which 

 luus!, of course, augment the expense. 



*' If the person who desires to have two or three pairs of 



these animals, wishes them as curi(/sities, he must risk 



iOjOOO piastres ; hut if it Le for the purpose of nudtiplying 



G 2 ihu 



