PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 195 



will, with your permission, return to the Verde to pay my men for 

 Decemher, and to close my papers for the past quarter, which will 

 occupy me about two days, and then repair to Washington. 



If detained by the court beyond my expectations, I will, in such 

 case, yield to the necessity, and proceed hence direct to Washington, 

 leaving my business at the Verde to await my return. In either case 

 I hope to see you by the 28th instant. 



In the event of the Q,amels arriving at Indianola during my absence, 

 I will leave here a competent person to take charge of them, under 

 Captain Van Bokkelen's superintendence. 



With much respect, I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



HENKY C. WAYNE, • 

 Blajor United States Army. 

 Hon. Jefferson Davis, 



Secreta7'y of War, Washington City. 



[Extract.] 



United States Ship Supply, 

 Mouth of the dlississijypi, January 30, 1857. 

 Sir: I have the honor to inform you of the arrival of the ''Supply" 

 at this place, with camels all in good condition, except one that has 

 a sore on the back, but is rapidly improving. 



I regret to say that I have not been as fortunate this time as I 

 could have wished, haviag lost three camels on the voyage, among 

 them the two Bactrians. After going through safely all the bad 

 weather we had encountered, one of them died suddenly in Malta, 

 and the other two fell over dead, without a moment's warning, when 

 eating their food and apparently in perfect health. There was no 

 way of accounting for it, unless they swallowed something in their 

 food ; the first one, I think, died from fright, owing to the excessive 

 motion of the ship, and would never eat afterwards. 



The remainder have stood the voyage well, better even than the 

 last had, and none of them have been sick a moment. 

 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



DAVID D. PORTER. 

 Hon. Jefferson Davis, 



Secretary of War. 



Wasdington, February 12, 1867. 

 General : In compliance with the direction of the Secretary of War 

 I have the honor to submit herewith a projet for the future manage- 

 ment of the experiment of introducing the camel upon this continent. 



