64 PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 



ideas of that animal in some of its varieties. Much positive knowledge 

 remains yet to be determined. Some of it, I hojDe, may be acquired 

 by experience and observation of the race among ourselves in its 

 future use and propagation in America. 



Trusting, my dear sir, that our efforts to introduce this domestic 

 animal into the heart of our continent may be successful, and that our 

 anticipations of its usefulness to our country may be fully realized, 

 I am, with much respect, your obedient servant, 



HENRY C. WAYNE, 

 Major United States Army. 

 Hon. Jefferson Davis, 



Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. 



Notes upon the dromedaries met loith in Egypt by Linant BeUefonds, 

 {Linant Bey,) Engineer in Chief of dylces and bridges to the Viceroy 

 of Egypt. 



[Ti-anslated by Major Henry C. Wayne, United States army.] 



According to Buffon, th€ camel has two humps, and the dromedary 

 only one, and this is the only characteristic distinguishing the two 

 races. Adopting this definition, the camel would not be known in 

 Egypt, and %vould be found only in Asia about Tartary, whilst the 

 dromedary would be the animal which we meet with in Cairo, Asia 

 Minor, Turkey, Arabia, and throughout Africa. But the Arabs and 

 the Egyptians distinguish, by the word gimel, all the animals of this 

 genus, and do not know the word dromedary. Among the species 

 with one hump met with in Egypt^ Al-abia and Africa, those which 

 carry burdens are the gimels, called by Europeans camels; whilst 

 those used only for riding are termed hagine, or by Europeans the 

 dromedary. Thus, the species with one hump called (by Buftbn) 

 dromedary, furnishes both beast of burden and riding animals. In- 

 deed, it is precisely the same as with horses, .some being for draught 

 and others for the saddle. I use, then, the word dromedary to 

 designate the riding animal wdth one hump, which the Arabs call 

 hagine. 



The diffierent breeds of dromedaries found in Egypt came from two 

 primitive stocks. 



The first is from Noman, (Oman, H. C. W.,) near Muscat^ on the 

 Persian Gulf, and called thence Nomani. 



The second is found among the Bicharieh (pronounced Bee-sha-ree- 

 eh, H. C. W.) Arabs residing in the territory of Bojah or Abye, lying 

 between the parrallels of Sarratim, on the Red sea, and of Assouan, on 

 the Nile, and comprised between the Ked sea and the Nile. This 

 breed is called Bicharieh, from the name of the tribe possessing it. 



It has not been decided yet which of these two breeds is the best, or 

 which furnishes the swiftest dromedaries. Some prefer the Bicharieh, 

 others the Nomanieh. The truth is^ that most excellent animals are 

 found in both breeds. 



Although these two breeds are the most celebrated, there are yet 

 others of less pure blood which furnish very good animals ; but all 



