Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-04-10
(From the Washington States, April 3d.)
mn REALEA AND MS CAMrls.

The following interesting reports of opera
tions was yesterday received at the War De-
partment from Mr.. Il. f. Beale wa TT.
KANSAS CIrY, March 23, l85S.-SIH, I
have the honor TO report my arrival at This
place, after o successful and agreeable winter
journey over the road which | explored last
summer, iu obedience to your orders.
As ] informed you in my last despatch,
the object of this journey was to satisfy my.
self fully as to the practicabilty or mpracti-
cability OF travelling the contemplated road
in mid.winter. With this view, l left the
Tejon Pass, in the Sierra Nevada, on the I'd
of Jahuary, and, travelling leisurely, arrived
at Albuquerque on the Oath of February,
having passed the heart of the winter on the
more elevated portion of the road.
In previous letter informed y u that l
had sent the camels back to Fort TETON from
the Colorado river, in the charge of my clerk,
in order that they might be used in the cam
paign against Utah. I parted with these
noble brutes with much regret. A year of
hard and almost unremitting labor with them
had attached us all to them with feelings
stronger, / think, than any one experiences
for either the horse or dog. 1t is to be
hoped that the Government will continue the
importation of this valuable animal, until
sufficient have been obtained fot the use of
The whole army. 1t is cheaper at first cost,
lives longer, ard is infinitely stronger and
harder than the mule, while its capacity for
work is four times greater. For military
purposes. 1 regard it US invaluable, 10 a
country where forage is difficult TO obtain.
In. all of the wars of the East, in ancient
days, it played a conspicuous part and not
only in ancient but also in modern warfare,
its excellence has been displayed Sir Charles
Napier attributed much of bis success in his
brilliant campaigns Of Scinde to the efficiency
Of the camel regiment, the organization Of
which enabled him to transport his men with
their provisions and arms to great distances,
over what had been hitherto considered an
impossible country. His artillery was drag
ged by them through the sandy deserts over
which he passed.
Mr.. Beae here quotes ut considerable
length from the Travels Of Father Hue in
Tartary," to show that whilo horses, oxen,
and mules, died from the extreme cold. the
camels stood the severe weather without
injury.]
But better than the experience Of others
is that of our own. The camels are now llv-
ing, fattening, and thriving in two feet of
snow on the summit of the Sierra Nevada, in
California.
1t is now nearly year since ! set out on
this journey. l have conducted my party
from the Gulf of Mexico to the shores Of the
Pacific, and back again to the eastern termi-
nus of the road, through new country, much
of which was entirely unknown, and for the
most part inhabited by hostile Indians, with
out an accident of any kind whatever, or the
loss of man.
! have obeyed your instructions as faith
fully as was able, under the circumstances,
to do, aud hope to find my reward in the ap-
proval of the Department of what has been
done.
Very respectfully, our obt servant.
K. T. BEALE.
To the Hon. j. 3. FLOYD, Sec'y Of War.