26 



on their greater or less rapid progress to- 

 ward civilization. In the Old Continent, 

 the pastoral life formed the passage from 

 hunting to agricultural nations. The ru- 

 minating animals, so easily reared under 

 every climate, have followed the African 

 negro, the Mogul, the Malay, and the 

 hordes that dwell on Caucasus. Though 

 several quadrupeds, and a greater number 

 of the vegetable tribe, are common to the 

 most northern regions of both worlds, Ame- 

 rica possesses, in the species of oxen, only 

 the bison and the musk ox ; two ani- 

 mals difficult to tame, and the females of 

 which yield but little milk, notwithstanding 

 the richness of the pasture. The American 

 hunter was not led to agriculture by the 

 care of flocks, and the habits of a pastoral 

 life. The inhabitant of the Andes was 

 never tempted to milk the lama, the alpaca, 

 or the guanaco. Milk was formerly a 

 nourishment unknown to the Americans, 

 as well as to several nations of eastern 

 Asia. 



