On Tunis Sheep. 239 



" and are generally approved of; and I am very desirous to 

 " procure a ram as near to the true breed as possible. My 

 " object is not profit ; but to gratify a delight I enjoy in see- 

 " ing fine sheep : and this breed appears better calculated for 

 '' our climate, than any race I have met with, either in En- 

 " rope or America, 



" The form of the ram I have received is remarkably fine ; 

 " but the ewe is too long in the legs ; and does not sulfici- 

 " ently bear the marks of the Tunisian breed. I now per- 

 " ceive my error in attending too much to colour j as tlie 

 " mottled sheep which have arrived in Carolina^ are observed 

 " to be, invariably, superior to the white sheep ; both in form 

 " and fleece. This difference I presume, arises from their 

 " nearer approach to the true breed. The zvhite resemble 

 " our native sheep." 



It has become, I perceive by Mr. Gibbes's letters, a cus- 

 tom, to send, coast wise, in large quantities, the wool of 

 southern flocks, to Philadelphia (and perhaps to other manu- 

 facturing cities and places) to be made up into cloth for their 

 house servants and field slaves ; similar to what are called 

 the best plains ; and it is done to their satisfaction. Let the 

 Carolina gentlemen select out of the finer parts of the best 

 Tunis fleeces (as I have done) wool for their own wearing, 

 I will be responsible that their coats will not be disgraced in 

 a comparison with any cloth (if well manufactured, and this 

 oan be done) of the best wool of this country. The Merino 

 cloth I always except, 



R, P. 



June 7th, ISIO. 



