AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 389 



aware that the Supply has been attached to the War Department 

 by the Secretary of the Navy for the purpose of conveying a 

 number of camels to the United States. In pursuit of this object 

 she has visited Tunis, Smyrna and Salonica. At the former place 

 she took on board three camels, two presented to the United 

 States government by the Bey, and one purchased. These have 

 already been on board some sixty-five days, and from their excel- 

 lent appearance clearly show that an ordinary voyage across the 

 Atlantic would not aifect their health in the least. They are 

 growing quite fat under the diet and idle life which they lead on 

 shipboard. I hear that the Sultan designs offering Captain Porter, 

 for his government, a number of the best camels to be had at this 

 place. Capt. Porter, Major Wayne and Mr. Heap have gone to 

 the Crimea, to examine the Bactrian camels with two humps, in 

 use there. 



Extract from a letter, dated Constantinople, Nov. 4, 1855. 



I came down in a large English steamer, called the Emprada, 

 in which were Capt. Porter, United States navy, Major Wayne, 

 Purser Heap, and a darkey named Jim; all belonging to the 

 United States store ship Supply, now staying here for camels. 

 Prom this the Supply goes, I learn, to Alexandria, and Major 

 Wayne will proceed to Arabia and to Damascus, to see the dif- 

 ferent species of camels used there. The Bactrian camels, with 

 two humps, used in the Crimea, are more fitted for draught than 

 burthen; and those of Arabia are the reverse. I hear that the Sul- 

 tan has offered Capt. Porter a cargo of camels from one of his 

 estates near this city. The route between this and Persia being 

 interrupted by the Turcoman hordes of the Turkish frontier, it 

 is not practicable for Major Wayne to proceed to Teheran and the 

 southern shores of the Caspian, to study the breed of camels used 

 there. 



It will thus be seen that this interesting experiment is in a 

 fair way of being successful, as far as transit of the camel is con- 

 cerned. The next subject to be considered will be the probability 

 of its b^ing acclimated on this continent, and finally its adapta- 

 tion to the wants of the American public for commercial or mili- 

 tary purposes. ' 



AMERICAN CAMEL COMPANY. 



In addition to the foregoing efforts and legislation, two or three 

 enterprising individuals applied for and obtained a charter from 

 the Legislature of the State of New York, authorising the forma- 



