185 



their own chiefs. The introduction of camels 

 attempted by Juan de Reinaga spread an alarm 

 among|the e n contender os, who were, not agree- 

 ably to the laws, but in fact, lords of the Indian 

 villages. We cannot be surprised, that the court 

 listened to the complaints of the Lords ; but in 

 consequence of this measure America was de- 

 prived of one of the means, which would most 

 have facilitated it's inland communication, and 

 the exchange of productions. Now that the 

 Indians, since the reign of Charles III, are go- 

 verned according to a more equitable system, 

 and as a larger field is about to be opened for 

 all the branches of national industry, the intro- 

 duction of camels should be attempted as a ge- 

 neral measure, and by the government itself. 

 A few hundreds of these useful animals, spread 

 over the vast surface of America, in hot and 

 barren places, would in a few years have a power- 

 ful influence on the public prosperity. Provinces 

 separated by steppes would then appear to be 

 brought nearer to each other ; several kinds of 

 inland merchandize would diminish in price on 

 the coast ; and by increasing the" number of 

 camels^ above all the hedjines, or ships of the de- 

 sert, a new life would be given to the industry 

 and commerce of the New World. 



On the evening of the 22d we continued our 

 journey from Mocundo by Los Guayos to the city 

 of Nueva Valencia. We passed a little forest of 



