PUKCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 103 



I would further suggest, with due deference to your judgment, that, 

 as some years will be required to establish the animal permanently 

 among us, the first and main object should be to cultivate the coarse 

 and hardy stock, upon which the finer varieties may be engrafted, as 

 experience shall hereafter direct. By so doing, moreover, our funds 

 will go much further, and, instead of fifty, we can have at least one 

 liundred animals landed in America within two years after the voting 

 of the appropriation by Congress. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



HENRY C. WAYNE, 

 United States Army, Bi-evet Major. 

 Hon. Jefferson Davis, 



Secretary of War, Washington city, D. C. 



United States Ship " Supply," 



New Yorh, May 28, 1856. 



Sir : I have the honor to report my arrival at this port, and to lay 

 before you the report of my proceedings in connexion with the trans- 

 portation of the camels, also a journal of events kept on the camel 

 deck ; and some correspondence in relation to the six dromedaries 

 presented by the viceroy of Egypt ; in connexion with this report 

 there are some drawings of the different animals purchased, with 

 their accoutrements, &c., and they will give you a faithful idea of the 

 stock purchased. I will either send them on to you by express, or, 

 if you deem it desirable to see me in Washington, and order me to 

 report to you there, I will bring them with me. 



Awaiting your further orders. 



I have the honor to remain, sir, your obedient servant, 



DAVID. D. PORTER, 



Lieutenant Commanding . 



Hon. Jefferson Davis, 



Secretary of War, Washington city. 



United States Ship '^ Supply," 



Neio York, 3Iay 28, 1856. 



Sir: I have the honor to inform you that your instructions relative 

 to the importation of a lot of camels and dromedaries, for the purpose 

 of trying whether they were suitable to the climate of Texas, have 

 been carried out as far as practicable, and thirty-four camels and 

 dromedaries were safely transferred to steamer "Fashion" in the 

 southwest pass of the Mississippi river, on the 10th instant, and in 

 better condition than they were when they came on board. 



The present report professes to be nothing more than an account 

 of the incidents of the voyage, and the treatment of camels at sea. 



