144 PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 



United States Ship "Supply," 



Alexandria, January 13, 1856. 



Dear Sir : I have taken a look at the last camels sent down to me; 

 three of them are those I mentioned in my official letter to you this 

 morning;, and one of them was bought by Major Wayne, in Cairo, 

 and rejected here because he was diseased. The three large ones 

 are siree^ camels, and have been picked up since ten o'clock this morn- 

 ing to replace the three miserable beasts first offered us. 



I can but take the same view of the case as I did this morning. 

 They have made the matter a little worse by endeavoring fraudulently 

 to force a present on us unworthy of the acceptance of our govern- 

 ment. If the government of the United States were to send his ex- 

 cellency a present of rusty muskets, or a rotten ship, I am sure he 

 would not appreciate it. 



We have too good a country, my dear sir, to allow any one to de- 

 preciate it by such offerings. Crowned heads and despots in their 

 intercourse with each other omit no courtesies, and make no presents 

 that they may blush to show. There is as much due to the intelli- 

 gence of our country as to any crowned head in Europe, and we will 

 not accept any gift unless made in a proper manner. 



I am sure you will agree with me. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



DAVID D. PORTER, 



Edwin De Leon, Esq., 



Consul General, &c. 



Lieutenant Commanding. 



Consulate General of the United States op America, in Egypt, 



Alexandria, January 14, 1856. 



Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 

 dated January 13, and to inform you that I also have received from 

 the governor of Alexandria a letter, of which the enclosed, marked A, 

 is a copy, accompanying six camels sent by order of the viceroy as a 

 present to our government. 



The statements contained in your letter, and the course adopted by 

 you, (of which I cordially approve,) have induced me promptly to re- 

 turn the camels to the governor, with a letter, (a copy of which, marked 

 B, is enclosed.) 



I have also addressed to the viceroy, through Tulfeccan Pacha, a 

 letter, (marked C, enclosed,) which I sent this morning by my drago- 

 man, enclosing yours, with orders to translate both to him, and re- 

 quest their immediate transmission to the viceroy. 



Tulfeccan Pacha expressed lively indignation on perusal of the 

 letters, and declared that the viceroy would assuredly punish his ser- 

 vants for the shameful manner in which they had executed his orders. 



