f 
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INTRODUCTION OF CAMELS. 577 
There is, perhaps, no gentleman in the United States 
Whose opinion on this subject is entitled to so much weight as 
that of Mr. Gliddon, who was a resident in the Levant for 
twenty-three years, eight of them as United States Consul at 
Cairo, and who grew up with the camel and the Arab. His 
early days were connected with Oriental life, traversing at 
Various times the deserts of Arabia and northern Africa. Mr. 
Gliddon, knowing the interest I felt in this subject, and that 
Thad had some experience in my various journeys across the 
deserts and plains of the interior of our continent, has kindly 
_ Placed in my hands the results of his inquiries into the history 
of the camel, and of its introduction into various parts of Asia 
and Africa, from which he has permitted me to make such ex- 
_ tractsts I deemed suitable, for a brief paper like the present. 
From my experience of nearly three years with horses, 
mules, asses, and oxen, and with wagons, carts, and packs, I 
donot hesitate to hazard the opinion, that the introduction of 
camels and dromedaries would prove an immense benefit to 
our present means of transportation, that they would be a 
great saving to animal life, and would present facilities for 
crossing our broad deserts and prairies not possessed by any 
other domestic animals now in use. 
Many have imagined that the camel, being indigenous to 
‘Certain parts of Africa and Asia, would not thrive in America; 
but from the climate, and the food upon which he would be 
Compelled to live in the districts where he would be required 
to labor, I doubt not his habits will be found to be as well 
adapted to them, as to one half, or two thirds, of the region 
| Where he now thrives. Less than four centuries have passed 
since the introduction of the horse, ox, ass, mule, goat, sheep, 
Pig, dog, ete., into America, and they now exist in myriads 
from the shores of the Arctic Sea to Cape Horn. Like man, 
they seem to adapt themselves to every clime ; nature modify- 
_ Ing them to the heat or cold, to the arid plains or the marshy 
_ lands, where they become domiciled. The camel is as strict- 
VOL. 1.—3$7 
