PREFACE. 7 



the United States to be peculiarly adapted to short 

 woolled sheep, I was eager to put them in possession 

 of this invaluable stock. And I shall not envy the 

 glory of the Argonauts (which probably consisted in 

 bringing the fine woolled Miligrelian sheep into Greece) 

 if I can successfully plant the Merinoes of Spain in 

 my native land. 



It unfortunately so happened, that during the greater 

 part of my mission, a number of my fellow citizens 

 were suitors at Paris for debts unjustly withheld; for 

 relief from embarrassments into which the perplexed 

 and ever- varying laws of trade, and in too many in- 

 stances their own imprudence, involved them. As few 

 days past in which I had not either justice or favours 

 to ask for others, I thought it improper to ask the lat- 

 ter for myself, but hoped to attain my object (more 

 gradually indeed), by selecting two pair of the finest 

 Merinoes I could find, and sending them over under 

 the care of one of my own servants; believing that so 

 small a shipment w^ould not be noticed, and intending 

 to follow them by others. They arrived in safety in 

 the spring of 1802, and were, I believe, the first couples 

 ever imported into the United States. I became less 

 anxious on the subject, because I had the satisfaction 

 to leani that Col. Humphi^eys liad succeeded, some 

 time afterwards, in introducing a much greater num- 

 ber, direct from Spain, so that I believed a founda- 

 tion was laid for their perfect establishment. After 

 my return from Italy, being no longer in office, I 

 obtained permission to ship others that Mr. Chaptal 

 allowed me to select out of the highest bred Rock in 

 France. A variety of circumstances have hitherto 



