72 PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 



Consulate General of the U. S. A., in Egypt, 



Alexandria, January 5, 1856. 



Dear Sir : As the best and shortest way of answering yonr queries 

 addressed to me, I enclose the replies of Mr. Ayrtoun, which were 

 submitted to you on your arrival in Egypt, with the comments which 

 I will now put in writing. 



Mr. Ayrtoun is an Englishman, who has enjoyed rare facilities for 

 obtaining such information — having been long resident in the country, 

 speaking the language, and filling the post of agent for the estates o\ 

 Ilhai:ni Pasha, son of the late viceroy. 



He informs me that his information was obtained from Arabs, 

 whose chief companions have been camels and dromedaries. 



Having myself paid much attention to the subject for the last three 

 years, I can testify to the correctness of most, if not all, of the answers, 

 which also coincide with the statements contained in the admirable 

 essay of M. Linant Bey, forwarded to the department by my prede- 

 cessor, Mr. McCauley, five years since, to which it is difficult to ad-d 

 anything. 



The kind offices of this gentleman had been requested in your behalf, 

 in advance of your arrival ; but, unfortunately, he is now engaged with 

 the Scientific European Commission in making the exploratory survey 

 for the Suez canal, which occupies all his time and attention. 



Kegarding this simply as the initiative step in an enterprise, which 

 it will require more than one trial to complete, I take the liberty of 

 making a few practical suggestions connected with it — the fruits of 

 my own investigations and eastern experience. 



As respects the camel for burden, I think you have good reason for 

 the opinion you have expressed, that the climate of Smyrna, approxi- 

 mating more nearly to that of Texas than that of other places in the 

 Levant, renders the selection of those animals there most judicious ; 

 although I believe the Egyptian camel would also thrive, if proper 

 care to acclimate the animal were taken at first. 



As to the second and more important point — the selection of the 

 fleet dromedary — the post and courier of the desert — the matter is a 

 little more difficult. 



These animals can be obtained in Egypt, but are rare, and command 

 high prices ; and the viceroy will not allow their exportation except 

 in an extraordinary case like the present, as a matter of international 

 courtesy. But the place whence they are brought into Egypt, and 

 where the best are to be found, is the Hedjas in Arabia, a journey 

 which will require more time than you can probably spare on this 

 excursion. 



The route to the Hedjas is either by way of Suez, by water, or across 

 the desert i'rom Cairo. Taking the former route, leaving Alexandria, 

 you can reach Suez, via Cairo, in twenty-four hours, whence a steamer 

 will carry you to Jedda, on the Red Sea, in fifteen or twenty days. 

 At Jedda, the dromedaries can be purchased at moderate prices by 

 sending into the interior, which may consume a week or two more. 

 The dromedaries purchased can be sent across the desert to Cairo by 

 the Bedouins, to be j^aid for on their arrival, in thirty days' slow time, 

 or as much faster as may be required. The government agent can 



