Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/34

 This marshy hollow is said by the Chinese to stretch W, and N. to Lake Lob. Here a sore temptation presented itself to Prejevalsky, as at once traveller, zoologist, and sportsman, to diverge to the westward for a new species of game,—the.

This is a somewhat interesting subject; for disbelief in the existence of the Wild Camel has been strongly expressed,—and indeed not long since by one of the greatest of scholars as well as geographical authorities on Central Asia. It is worth while, therefore, to observe that its existence by no means rests on the rumour heard by Prejevalsky. There is much other evidence; none of it, perhaps, very strong taken alone, but altogether forming a body of testimony which I have long regarded, even without recent additions, as irresistible.

The following are the testimonies of which I have re- tained memoranda, but I believe there are several others in existence:—

I. Shah Rukh's ambassadors to China (A.D. 1420) midway in the Great Desert between Kamul and Shachau, or thereabouts, fell in with a wild camel. —II. The Persian geography called Haft Iklím ('The Seven Climates'), probably quoting from Haidar Razi, says of the Desert of Lob: 'This Desert contains wild camels, which are hunted.' —III. In Duhalde we find the following from Chinese sources: 'Both wild and tame camels are found in the countries bordering on the north of China. . . at present wild camels are only to be met with in the countries north-west of China.' —IV. In the Journal of the 'As. Soc. of Bengal,' ix. 623, I see that Sir Proby Cautley quotes Pallas as arguing, on Tartar evidence, that the wild camel is found in Central Asia. Cuvier ascribes this to the Buddhist custom of giving liberty to domestic animals. This may have been the origin of the breed, as of the wild horses of S. America and Queensland. But we see above