CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 9. RUMINANTIA. 





CAMELS AT DAMASCUS. 



A few years since the Government of the United States took measures for the introduction of 

 the Camel into the southern part of this country. In the autumn of 1857 a number of them, 

 which had been brought in government vessels from the borders of the Mediterranean, were 

 placed under the charge of Lieutenant Beale, commander of an expedition to explore a route 

 for a wagon road from New Mexico to California. In a report made by this officer to the Sec- 

 retary of War, after he had reached the shores of the Pacific, dated October 18, 1857, he says: 

 "An important part in all of our operations has been acted by the camels. "Without the aid 

 of this noble and useful brute, many hardships which we have been spared would have fallen 

 to our lot; and our admiration for them has increased day by day, as some new hardship, en- 

 dured patiently, more fully developed their entire adaptation and usefulness in the exploration 

 of the wilderness. At times I have thought it impossible they could stand the test to which 

 they have been put; but they seem to have risen equal to every trial, and to have come off 

 from every exploration with as much strength as before starting. Unsupported by the testi- 

 mony of every man of my party, I should be unwilling to state all that I have seen them do. 

 Starting with a full determination that the experiment should be no half-way one, I have sub- 

 jected them to trials which no other animal could possibly have endured, and yet I have arrived 

 here, not only without the loss of a camel, but they are admitted by those who saw them in 

 Texas to be in as good condition to-day as when we left San Antonio. 



"In all our lateral explorations they have carried water, sometimes for more than a week, for 

 the mules used by the men, themselves never receiving even a bucketful to one of them ; they 

 have traversed patiently with heavy packs, on these explorations, countries covered with the sharp- 

 est volcanic rock, and yet their feet to this hour have evinced no symptom of tenderness or injury ; 

 with heavy packs they have crossed mountains, ascended and descended precipitous places where 

 an unladen mule found it difficult to pass, even with the assistance of the rider, dismounted, 

 and carefully picking its way. I think it would be Avithin bounds to say that in these various 

 lateral explorations they have traversed nearly double the distance passed over by our mules and 

 wagons. . ♦ 



"Leaving home with all the prejudice attaching to untried experiments, and with many in bur 



i camp opposed to their use, and looking forward confidently to their failure, I believe, at this time, 



■' Vol. L— 73 



