190 PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 



480 dromedaries, which it is intended to increase to 1,000 or 1,200. 

 Each animal carries two soldiers, armed with muskets, &c., and the 

 saddles are so arranged as to admit of their firing in any direction. 

 The baggage camels can carry from 300 to 850 pounds weight of guns, 

 powder, &c., each, when not on a forced march, when the troop can 

 easily travel from 35 up to 60 miles per diem. 



This speed, of course, can he greatly increased on special occasions, 

 for short distances, with decreased weight of baggage, when most ex- 

 traordinary celerity can be obtained. Only a few attendants to feed 

 the animals are required on long marches. 



The viceroy is greatly pleased thus far with his new regiment, which 

 is but a revival of the corps formerly well known in Eastern warfare. 



As the burden camel of Smyrna seems to have obtained the prefer- 

 ence of Captain Porter, I have confined my observations to the drome- 

 dary, though, if required, animals of that description used in Egypt 

 can promptly and easily be obtained from Syria, just over the Egyp- 

 tian frontier. With an expression of the hope that the results of this 

 enterprise may requite your eiforts in its behalf, and with personal 

 acknowledgments for the kind manner in which you have been pleased 

 to recognise such services as I have been enabled to render, I remain, 

 very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



EDWIN DE LEON. 



Hon. Jefferson Davis, 



Secretary of War, Washington City. 



United States Ship '' Supply," 



September 11, 1856. 



Sir : I have just received a letter from Mr. De Leon, enclosing a 

 copy of one he sent you, giving his views with regard to an expedi- 

 tion to the " Hegas" in Arabia, for the purpose of procuring drome- 

 daries. I regret that time will not permit my obtaining your views on 

 the matter, and I hope you will approve of the course I am about to 

 take. I think you will do so, when you read my reasons for not going 

 into Egypt. In the first place, Mr. De Leon states, positively, that 

 the permission for the exportation of the ten dromedaries cannot be- 

 renewed, and that they must be procured outside of Egypt, in Arabia. 

 This involves a travel of two thousand miles, and an absence of three 

 months at least. The following estimate of expenses have been made 

 with a view to finding out how much ten dromedaries will cost, and 

 you will perceive that it will take nearly the whole amount of what 

 I have on hand, with the prospect of a failure in getting what we 

 want : 



Hire of twenty dromedaries for three months, at fifteen dol- 

 lars per month 



Hire of twenty men three months, at fifteen dollars per 



month 900 



Provisions and forage 500 



Presents to Arabs through whose districts we pass 500 



