26 



THE USES OF THE CAMEL. 



transportation. The Casbali is in ruins, and "the civilizing 

 flag of France" waves from its topmost remaining turret ; only 

 the site where stood the pirates' lookout, whence the Algerines 

 were wont to signalize the appearance of a strange sail in the 

 offing to their confederates in the port below, is now pointed 

 out to the traveller ; for the pirate's occupation is gone. The 

 caves and holes in which burrowed the swarthy Moors, and the 

 dark alleys through which they stealthily crept in their daily avo- 

 cations, have given place to spacious blocks of houses and broad 

 boulevards ; but the Arab still comes from the mountains and 

 the desert on his camel as of yore ; his stately caravans, laden 

 with precious freight, still make traffic through all that wide 

 domain, and his proud conquerors have not disdained, in this 

 particular, to follow in his footsteps. 



America had no original domestic quadruped but a species 

 of elk, the llama tribe, and, to a certain extent, the bison or 

 buffalo. The horse, the ass, the ox, the sheep, the goat, and 

 the hog, were brought over by the early settlers. The indis- 

 pensable benefits we have derived from their introduction, 

 domestication, and large increase in our country, are recognized 

 by all. Yet the camel is a more useful animal, more hardy, and 

 will bear ocean transportation better, than any of these other 

 animals. 



This latter point is well established by the testimony of Por- 

 ter, Wayne, Heap, and many others ; and my own experience 

 in the shipment of animals for many years has led me to the 

 same conclusion. 



Use in Texas and Oveeland. 



That the camel finds himself at home in the local conditions 

 of our climate and soil, and does not deteriorate, but rather 

 improves in health and vigor by a change of domicil, has been 

 thoroughly demonstrated by the result of the experiments made 

 by the United States Government, in 1855, '56, and '57. 



The report of Captain Beale, of the United States Army, to 

 the Secretary of War, of an overland trip with camels, carrying 

 seven hundred pounds each, from Texas to California, in 1857, 

 is very full and satisfactory ; but I do not happen to have it by 

 me to quote from at this time. 



The following extracts are from the official reports of Major 



