INTRODUCTION OF CAMELS. 581 
gration over a stupendous segment of the earth’s superficies,” 
stretching across the whole of Asia, and extending as far north 
as the 56th parallel of latitude. Amid the defiles of the Cau- 
casus, the Himalaya, and the Kuenleen ; over the black plateau 
of Upper Asia, and the scorching plains of Hindostan ; skirt- 
ing the shores of the Indian Ocean, the Yellow, the Caspian, 
and the Black seas, ‘ winter or summer, he resignedly plods 
his weary way,” burdened with whatever load his master places 
on his back. He is much used in eastern Europe ; and in 
Africa, across its entire breadth, from the shores of the Medi- 
terranean to the region of the tropical rains. 
Taking a portion of the North American Continent cor- 
responding with the camel zone of the old world, the most 
extreme northern limits of the United States would be conge- 
nialto him. But we should not require his services north of 
Missouri, or about the 40th parallel. From thence, southward 
to the Gulf of Mexico, but particularly in Texas, the climate 
would be most congenial to him. The high table-lands of 
Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango, and 
portions of Central Mexico, are equally adapted to him. The 
entire route from the Mississippi to California, particularly 
that south of Santa Fe by the Gila, where there are no moun- 
tains to cross ; and also, the great highway over the table-lands 
of Mexico, are well adapted to his habits. But he would be 
most useful on those long jornadas and deserts where there is 
either no water, or where it is so brackish that mules and horses 
will not drink it. 
There are peculiarities in the arid plains and deserts of 
North America which seem to fit them for the habits of the 
camel. His favorite food in Africa is beans and chopped 
straw. Now, it is a well known fact, that however barren our 
deserts, they abound in mezquit bushes or chapporal, which 
shrub bears a most nutricious bean. Whether this plant 
attains a height of three feet on the desert or twenty in the 
bottom-lands, it is equally prolific. Mules and cattle feed on 
