PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 59 



Syria, and back from it, good burden camels, but no dromedaries, are to 

 be bad. At Konieh, in tbe province of Karamania, tbe breed of 

 burden camels^is represented as particularly fine, but for sbipment it 

 would be necessary to drive animals purchased there to Adalia, upon 

 the gulf of that name, to Smyrna, or to an intervening port. 



In Syria a very good breed of burden camels, and from Arabia ad- 

 joining it, fine dromedaries are to be obtained. Through Syria and 

 its ports burden camels and dromedaries from Egypt may also be 

 imported, there being no prohibition upon exportation by land from 

 Egypt, and the ports of Syria being, as before stated, under the control 

 of the Porte. 



It would not be worth while to attempt to import camels or drome- 

 daries to the Atlantic coasts of America from beyond the limits of 

 Turkey, in Asia, on account of the time (months) that would be re- 

 quired to penetrate so far into the interior, and to return to the sea- 

 coast, and the expenses that would necessarily attend the collection 

 and driving of the animals, besides the probable loss of some of them 

 in so long a journey. 



Taking a general view of the subject, I have no hesitation in re- 

 commending Smyrna as the best point for procuring burden camels 

 and Bactrian breeders, and Jaffa and Beirout as the best points 

 through which to obtain dromedaries from Arabia, and burden camels 

 and dromedaries from Egypt, (unless the viceroy of Egypt will with- 

 draw his restriction upon exportation from Alexandria ;) but ship- 

 ments from these two last ports must, be made, I am informed, on 

 account of their being open roadsteads, between May and November. 



Of any point in Europe I say nothing, as the only one where camels, 

 and only of burden, are to be had is Constantinople, where there are 

 comparatively few, and those few imported from Asia Minor as 

 wanted, it not being customary to breed them there. The war at 

 present closes the Crimea against any exportation from it of Bactrian 

 breeders. 



The prices of camels vary, as will be seen by the j^apers transmitted, 

 and, as I have found from experience, as do those of horses with us, 

 according to breeding, size, training, soundness, &c., &c., and range 

 from $15 to $1 ,000. In Egypt, sound burden camels, capable of carry- 

 ing from 400 to 600 pounds, may be purchased for from $50 to 

 flOO and $130 ; and dromedaries for from $45 to $1,000, common 

 stock for from $45 to $150, blooded animals for from $150 to any 

 fancy price within the limit stated. In Arabia, prices are about the 

 same, with perhaps a trifling diminution. In Asia Minor the prices 

 of burden camels may be set down as follows : males and. Tinlus 

 and Mayas at from $75 to $200 ; females at from $50 to $120 ; Bac- 

 trian breeders at from $300 to $600. In Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, 

 and Tripoli, the prices of burden camels and dromedaries are reported 

 at about the same as those of Egypt, in some instances a little lower. 

 At present the prices are much enhanced by the general effect of the 

 war in the Crimea, and especially by the demand for the animal on 

 account of it and the war in Asia Minor. But war or no war, the 

 stranger Frank who trades in the east must make up his mind to 

 pay for his alienage, whether he deals with Mahomedan, Jew, or 



