430 
FOREST AND STREAM 
[Nov. 19, 1904. 
This paper was liberally drawn upon by the Secretary 
when he submitted his annual report and recommen- 
dations in December, .1853. This report, which was 
transmitted with the President's message to Congress, 
aroused a good deal of interest on account of the gen- 
eral belief that something could be accomplished with 
camels in this country. After reciting the dangers of 
the slow transportation between the East and the West, 
and giving in detail the results of an exploration which 
had been ordered by Congress for the purpose of locat- 
ing the best route for a proposed transcontinental rail- 
way, Secretary Davis said that even such a railway, if 
built, would but partly remove the difficulty. It would 
serve to transport troops and to supply depots along 
the route and at the extremity of the line, but there 
would still be vast reaches in the interior too remote 
from its depots materially to feel its effect. "On the 
older continents," he continued, "in regions reaching 
from the torrid to the frozen zones, embracing arid 
plains and precipitous mountains covered with snow, 
camels are used with the best results." They carry all 
the commerce of central Asia, and have been used from 
the mountains of Circassia to the plains of India to 
transmit dispatches, draw ordnance, and as a substitute 
for dragoon horses. The example is cited of Napoleon 
who, by the use of the dromedary in his Egyptian 
campaigns, subdued the Arabs, a race "whose habits 
and country were very similar to those of the mounted 
Indians of our western plains." Mr. Davis, therefore, 
believed that the dromedary would supply a want in the 
way of carryiny expresses, making reconnaissance, and 
moving troops rapidly across country; and he recom- 
mended that "necessary provision be made for the in- 
troduction of a sufficient number of both varieties of 
this animal to test its value and adaptation to our 
country and our service." 
The Secretary's recommendation did not bring re- 
sults from that Congress, but it served to encourage 
those who believed that the camel would prove useful 
as a beast of burden in the United States, and a com- 
pany was formed in New York, under a liberal charter 
from the Legislature of that State, with the announced 
objects of importing and developing a number of camels 
of different kinds and of employing them in transpor- 
tation in the West. The organization was styled "The 
American Camel Company," and its officers were 
William G. King, Charles W. . Webber and Edward 
Magouran, the last an enthusiast on the subject. 
In his report of December, 1854, Secretary Davis, 
after again calling attention to the great sums expended 
for the transportation of men and supplies, said, "I 
again invite attention to the advantages to be antici- 
pated from the use of camels and dromedaries for mili- 
tary purposes, and, for reasons set forth in my last 
annual report, recommend that appropriation be made 
to introduce a number of the several varieties of this 
animal to test their adaptation to our country." The 
committee that prepared the annual army appropriation 
bill seemed still skeptical, for the bill came to the 
Senate with no provisions for camels. In this body 
an amendment proposed by Senator Shields, of Illinois, 
was attached, appropriating $30,000 "to be expended 
under the direction of the War Department in the pur- 
chase and importation of camels and dromedaries to 
be employed for military purposes." In the House the 
proposition had 'for its sponsors Mr. Phelps, of Mis- 
souri, and Mr. James A. McDougall, of California, the 
latter venturing the prediction that the results of the 
experiment would "prove invaluable to the country." 
After the usual vicissitudes of amendments to appropri- 
ation bills, this proposition became a law in March, 
1855. 
Secretary Davis lost no time in beginning what he 
evidently expected to prove a most successful and far- 
reaching experiment. In May he directed Major Wayne 
to proceed to the Levant, stopping in England and 
France for the purpose of interviewing military men 
in those countries in regard to the camel and its uses 
in war. The Secretary of the Navy placed at the dis- 
posal of Mr. Davis the storeship Supply, with her crew, 
under the command of Lieut. David D. Porter (after- 
ward Admiral Porter), for the purpose of transporting 
the animals to this country. It was supposed that the 
climate of Texas would more nearly furnish such con- 
ditions as the camels were accustomed to, and it was 
accordingly ordered that they should be landed at the 
most convenient point in that State. 
Major Wayne arrived in England in June, 1855. After 
inspecting the show camels at the zoological gardens in 
London and interviewing scientists and military men, 
he went to Paris, where he pursued the same course, 
obtaining considerable valuable information. He joined 
Lieutenant Porter and the Supply at Spezzia, Italy, 
June 24. 
In the meantime Lieutenant Porter, having discharged 
his cargo of supplies for our Mediterranean squadron, 
and entering heartily into the spirit of the camel en- 
terprise, had visited the farm of the Grand Duke of 
Tuscany, near Pisa, where camels had been bred and 
used for two hundred years. The original stock had 
come from Egypt, and a sufficient number were kept 
by the Tuscan ruler to perform the work of 1,000 horses. 
The animals were found to be performing hard work 
daily, being forced to carry loads as high as 1,300 
pounds each, and toiling from sunrise to sunset. Des- 
pite this arduous service, they were badly treated by 
unappreciative keepers; were forced to obtain their 
entire subsistence by their own gleanings from nearly 
barren tracts of land covered with stunted pines and 
scanty grass, and were never housed, although the 
climate was hot in summer and cold in winter. The 
number was limited. 
In order that they might be able personally to study 
the animals, ascertain how the voyage would be likely 
to affect them, and how the arrangement they had made 
for embarking and stabling would work, Major Wayne 
and Lieutenant Porter determined to secure one camel . 
at the first opportunity. They accordingly sailed 1 
directly for Tunis, where early in August they bought || 
their first animal. Upon applying for a permit to bring j| 
it off, the Bey of Tunis graciously presented to the || 
United States through them two other camels — one,j||' 
at least, a fine animal, that subsequently became them 
veteran of the herd and proved himself a sturdy sailor,!! 
for he accompanied the ship for over 10,000 miles and 
was landed in good health on American soil nine months 
after his embarkation. 
The voyage was resumed and Constantinople reached 
early in October. From this city the officers, leaving 
the ship, made a side trip to Balaklava, in the Crimea, 
to learn what they could about the camels that were 
used in the Crimean war. The English quartermaster 
gave them an opportunity of inspecting the animals in 
the possession of the' English, and they gained much 
information which they' regarded as pertinent and valu- 
able. They were told that in the conquest of Sind 
some 25,000 camels had been used by Gen. Sir Charles 
Napier, an unusually acute student of transportation 
problems; and so satisfactory had they proved in the 
Crimea that the numbers on hand at Balaklava were to 
be increased for the next campaign. Here the Arabian,* 
or one-humped, camel was used almost exclusively. The 
average load was 600 pounds, carried twenty-five to 
thirty miles a day. A corps of 1,000 men mounted on 
500 camels had rendered most effective service under 
General Napier. It was often marched seventy miles in 
twelve hours. On arriving at the desired point, the 
camels were left with the keepers and 500 men operated 
as infantry, the camels, kneeling and hobbled in a hol- 
low square, even serving as a breastwork in case of 
necessity. The Bactrian, or two-humped, camel also 
was found at Balaklava, but, though stronger and 
heavier than the Arabian, was not so much used be- 
cause of the difficulty of placing the load over his two 
humps and because slower in pace. Both officers were 
enthusiastic over what they saw and heard of the 
camel in the Crimea, Lieutenant Porter declaring that 
in the United States, at any point south of 36 degrees 
(about the latitude of Raleigh, N. C), the camel would 
be fostered with the greatest care, and that its value 
there for labor would be much greater than that of 
the/ horse. He expressed the hope that he might see 
the day when every southern planter would be using 
the camel extensively, and he thought this not im- 
probable, as a good work animal might then be imported 
from Smyrna for about $300. 
Two of the three camels procured at Tunis had shown 
symptoms of the itch; and, as it was feared that they 
might infect the ship with the disease, they were sold. 
Their lazy life on the vessel, coupled with good care and 
abundant food, had so fattened them that there was no 
trouble in finding a Turkish butcher, whose bid of $44 
for the two was accepted. The Sultan, professing great 
interest in the experiment of our Government, offered 
to present four of his finest animals, but, as they had 
to be fetched from Asia, our officers deemed it im- 
prudent to wait. Persia had been thought to be the 
best place to procure fine camels, but it was now so late 
in the season that the mountain passes were filled with 
snow and ice, and a trip to that distant country would 
have been difficult, if not impossible. So the Supply 
was headed for Egypt, arriving at Alexandria in Decem- 
ber. Major Wayne journeyed on to Cairo, where he 
purposed buying twenty dromedaries. An unexpected 
obstacle was encountered in the "custom of the coun- 
try." In order to avoid having all his good camels and 
horses sent out of his domain to supply the wants of 
the Eastern war, the viceroy had made a law that no 
animal of any kind should be exported, and it was with 
the greatest difficulty that he was prevailed upon to 
issue a permit, first for the exportation of two camels, 
then for ten. The last concession came too late, how- 
ever, as, wearying of the slow processes of oriental 
routine (the negotiations being conducted in due form 
through the American consul), Major Wayne had de- 
termined to sail after loading but three camels. But 
now the viceroy himself had become interested in the 
experiment of the United States, and proposed to pre- 
sent the Government with six dromedaries. It seems 
to have been the intention of the ruler to present six 
of his finest beasts, and on learning of the proposed 
gift the major and lieutenant were aroused to the high- 
est pitch of pleased anticipation, particularly as they 
had met with such ill success in their purchases and 
had been so worried by the unforseen rules against ex- 
portation. They expected nothing less than a group 
of lithe-limbed, deep-chested racers of the best blood 
of Oman or Nubia- — the flower of the royal herd, with 
pedigrees reaching back toward the beginnings of re- 
corded time. After a week of impatient waiting, they 
were informed that the present of the potentate was in 
readiness in the palace yard, and, upon going to embark 
it, their chagrin was severe when, instead of the swift, 
well-kept dromedaries of the desert, they found a 
wretched half dozen of the commonest street camels of 
Alexandria, their hanging heads showing the spirit 
broken by ill usage, half denuded of hair by the itch, 
and loathsome from disease. Liutenant Porter spurned 
the gift and took little pains to conceal his disgust. 
The viceroy's minister was informed of the miscarriage 
of his master's well-intended liberality, and the blame 
was laid on the rascally subordinates to whom the 
selection of the present had been intrusted; and, after 
another week of waiting, six fairly good camels were 
forthcoming. Thus, when the Supply sailed on Jan. 
22, 1856, she had on board nine dromedaries and the 
Tunis camel. 
Our officers reached Smyrna Jan. 30, and, by having 
sent in advance Mr. Gwynn H. Heap, they were able 
to assemble rapidly the remainder of their shipment 
and prepare pack saddles and covers. This latter item 
was carefully attended to, as it was certain that prop- 
erly fitting saddles could not be obtained in the United 
States. Mr. Heap's acquaintance with the languages 
and customs of the east, gained while serving as vice- 
consul at Tunis, enabled him to purchase the animals 
to the best advantage. Those he brought to Smyrna 
*The natural historians have generally designated the two- 
humped animal of this genus as the. camel and the one-humped as 
the dromedary. After a careful study and observation in the 
home of the animal, Major Wayne disregarded this classification, 
and speaks of it as of two distinct species — the Bactrian and the 
Arabian. The Bactrian has two humps; it came originally from 
Bactria and is now found more generally in Tartary and the north- 
ern parts of Central Asia. _ The Arabian has but one hump and is 
found principally in Arabia, Persia, Asia Minor, and India. The 
dromedary ( Greek dromas, a runner) is simply a swift courser, 
or racer, as distinguished from the camel of burden (always, how- 
ever, Arabian, or one-humped. 
were bought at various points in the interior, the town 
camel beingr avoided, as it was generally infected with 
the itch caught from the streets and dirty khans. He 
appears to have paid as low as $100 for at least one 
animal and as high as $400 each for several others, the 
average price being about $250. No such fancy price 
as $1,800 to $2,000 for a single animal were paid, al- 
though the idea was prevalent at the time in this coun- 
try that the camels had cost the Government about 
$2,000 each. The prices, indeed, were found to vary, as 
do those of horses, according to breeding, size, training 
and soundness ranging from $15 to $1,000 and over. 
A sound burden camel capable of carrying from 400 to 
600 pounds could' be bought at $50 to $130, a drome- 
dary at $45 to $1,000, the common stock bringing $45 
to $150, and the swifter, pure-bred animals from $150 
up. A good Tuiltt, or Maya, brought $200, while two- 
humped Bactrian breeders sold at $300 to $600. 
Lieutenant Porter solved, with his customary intelli- 
gence, the problem of loading the camels into the 
ship. He built first a boat twenty feet long and seven 
feet wide, flat-bottomed so that it would easily slide 
up on the beach. He then constructed the "camel 
car," very strongly made and bound with iron, with 
a door at each end, and shaped to fit snugly into the 
boat. The camel was coaxed into the car, or, if he 
withstood coaxing and refused to enter, ten sailors with 
a block and tackle forced him in. The car, mounted on 
trucks, was then rolled down the beach and into the 
boat. The car weighed 1,000 pounds and by means of 
it the animals, averaging in weight 1,400 pounds, but 
going as high as 2,000 pounds, were loaded into the 
ship at the rate of one each half hour. 
The home voyage was begun Feb. 15, 1856, with 
thirty-three animals, as follows: Nine dromedaries, or 
runners, twenty-three camels of burden and one calf. 
Among them were two Bactrian males (two-humped) 
for use in breeding with the Arabian female. The off- 
spring, called a "booghdee" (male Tuilu and female 
Maya), is always one-humped and much heavier than 
the pure Arabian and on this account is greatly prized 
as a burden-carrying animal. Mr. Heap had picked up 
a fine Tuilu, an enormous fellow 7 feet 5 inches in 
height, 10 feet long, 9 feet 9 inches in girth, and weigh- 
ing when in good condition 2,000 pounds. Lieutenant 
Porter was obliged to cut a hole in the floor of the 
deck which served as the ceiling of the camel stable in 
order to accommodate this Tuilu's hump. Seven males 
were included in the load, the remainder being females, 
not counting the booghdee, which will not breed. 
It was an interesting voyage home. The staunch 
little sailing craft met the most tremendous gales in 
the Mediterranean and was buffeted by unusually heavy 
weather during most of her trip across the Atlantic. 
It was often necessary, in order that they might not be 
injured by the tossing of the sea during the more violent 
storms, to tie the camels down in .the position they as- 
sume when kneeling to receive their burdens, which 
posture they held for days at a time, eating and drink- 
ing much as usual and suffering no harm beyond a 
temporary stiffening of the joints. 
The camels occupied a huge stable between decks. 
A thoughtful contrivance was a covered structure 60 
feet long, 12 feet wide, and 10 feet high. Along the 
sides of this were placed at frequent intervals large 
portholes fitted with glass windows and heavy shutters. 
A hatch was provided in the top so as to let the ani- 
mals down to their deck, and this aperture, being so 
far above the upper deck, could be kept open even 
during storms when it was necessary to close the port- 
holes. Thus fresh air was assured in all kinds of 
weather — a very important matter on shipboard. 
The success of this part of the experiment was due 
to the sagacity and watchfulness of Lieutenant Porter, 
who reduced the care of the animals to a military basis. 
He promulgated a set of "rules and regulations for the 
camel deck," requiring, among other things, that one 
person should always be on watch; the camels to be 
fed and watered every day at 3 o'clock precicely; the 
females having young to be fed and watered, in addi- 
tion, at 7 o'clock in the morning; the deck never to 
be wet except by order; the hayracks to be filled every 
two days, and the amount of food to be kept account 
of; the camels never to be struck with anything but 
the flat of the hand; their beds to be littered down before 
sunset; each camel to be curried and brushed half an 
hour every day and their feet and legs to be well ruDbed; 
their feet to be cleaned with soap and water twice a 
week ; particular care to be observed in putting hay under 
their knees and haunches when they lie down; "the 
least thing the matter with an animal to be reported at 
once." The strictest cleanliness was exacted, the stalls 
being cleaned daily, and frequently witewashed. The 
daily ration of food consisted of a gallon of oats, ten 
pounds of hay, and a gallon of water to each animal, this 
being varied by occasional portions of crushed pease 
or barley made into dough ball; salt was served once 
a week. The animals got along very well on this 
regimen, although their natural diet consists of the 
leaves and tender branches of all kinds of trees and 
shrubs, while they have a special fondness for dried 
bushes of a bitter and astringent flavor and seem to 
consider prickly and thorny vegetation a dainty. 
[to be continued.] 
Anticosti Lland, Anticosti. 
It was in 1895 that the island of Anticosti was pur- 
chased by Mr. Henry Menier, the great French manu- 
facturer, from the syndicate which had for some time 
owned it, the price paid being $160,000. The island is 
130 miles long by about 27 miles wide, and is thus larger 
than Long Island in New York State, It was then with- 
out human inhabitants except at one place, Fox Bay; the 
few people residing there supporting themselves by trap- 
ping and fishing. The waters about the island abound in 
fish, and produce the best lobsters in America. 
Previous to the purchase by Mr. Menier, little was 
known of the interior of the island. Much had been writ- 
ten concerning it, but those who told the stories relied 
more on their imagination than on precise information 
for the material which they gave the public. As a matter 
of fact no large mammals, except the black bear, are 
found on the island; neither moose, caribou, nor even 
beaver existed there at the time of the purchase. There 
are no wolves nor lynxes, 
After Mr. Menier first bought the island he had some 
