PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITAEY PURPOSES. 193 



over to whom you may direct. I have employed eight good men, who 

 will go with them into Texas, and be discharged there when the 

 government no longer need their services. 



I have disposed of four of the guns, two to the ex-governor of 

 Smyrna, and two to the present governor, through both of whom came 

 the present of the six camels from the sultan, and who have been very 

 civil. I shall send the rest to Mr. De Leon for the pacha of Egypt, 

 which I hope will meet your approval. 



I have the honor to remain, sir, very respectfully, 



DAVID D. PORTER. 



Hon. Jefferson Davis, dc, dc. 



War Department, 

 Washington, December 13, 1856. 



Sir: I enclose herewith the copy of a letter from Lieutenant D. D. 

 Porter, received to-day, by which you will perceive that he expects to 

 be at New Orleans with the storeship Supply and a cargo of forty-four 

 camels by the 20th of January. I am desirous of seeing you here ; 

 and if you can make arrangements conveniently to leave Texas, re- 

 pair to this city, and return to New Orleans by the time the vessel 

 will arrive there, you will consider this an order to cover your 

 transportation. 



Very respectfully, vour obedient servant, 



JEFF'N DAVIS, 



Secretary of War. 

 Major H. C. Wayne, 



U. S. Quartermaster, Camp Verde, Texas. 



United States Ship "Supply," 



Malta, December 3, 1856. 



Sir : I have the honor to inform you of my arrival at this port, after 

 a voyage of fifteen days from Smyrna. The subject which will in- 

 terest you most is the welfare of the camels, and I am happy to say 

 that they are all well and in fine condition, though they have gone 

 through more hardships than camels ever went through before. We 

 were driven back to this port by the severest weather it has ever been 

 my lot to meet with before at sea. Gales and hurricanes have been 

 tossing us about ever since I left Smyrna, and thirteen days out of 

 the fifteen have been passed under close-reefed topsails, under water 

 half the time, and officers and crew knocked up and worn out. For 

 myself, I have not had my clothes off" or been in a bed during the 

 whole period. The camels were strapped down all the time, and so 

 secured that not an accident happened to them beyond a temporary 

 loss of the use of their legs. I put my helm up for Malta (having 

 Ex. Doc. 62 13 



