THE TAMING OF THE WILD 287 



more than 250 Ibs., including its rider. The 

 slower baggage camel, on the other hand, 

 going on level ground, takes four hundred- 

 weight, equally divided in two panniers. I 

 understand from one who served with the 

 Suakin Field Force that the camels imported 

 from India were much more satisfactory 

 throughout the campaign than those from 

 Egypt. This is remarkable, as the assumption 

 would naturally be that the animal born in the 

 country would be better fitted to do the work 

 required of it in that climate. But the result 

 proved otherwise. 



Camels have been introduced into various 

 countries, even as far as Australia. They were 

 long employed on farms in both Italy and 

 Spain, but not with lasting success. The 

 natives of both countries are slow to adopt new 

 ideas, and the mule and ass were probably 

 sufficient for their needs. America also had its 

 fit of enthusiasm for the camel, though, like 

 some other popular crazes in that country, it 

 died a natural death. 



The llama, the equivalent of the camel in 

 South America, is another surefooted beast of 

 burden, priceless for transport in the Andes, 

 but not apparently, so far as its moral character 

 goes, showing any marked improvement on its 

 Asiatic cousin. 



The only horned animals, at any rate south 



