The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-06-24
CAMELs FOR AMERICA.
Jefferson Davis Quixotic Desert
Scheme

into this country thirtysix years ago
by Admiral, then Lieutenant, d. d.
Porter and Major Henry G. Wayne.
The story of that importation is one of
those high comedy recitals occasionally
found in the ponderous officitl docu
ments of the United States Govern.
ment. 1t is, says the New York San,
none the less interesting from the fact
that it involves half a dozen names dis
tinguished at home and abroad You
may find the story fully set forth and
eff ctively, though not handsomely, il
Illustrated in Government publication
of about 800 pages issued in 1857,
The volume is specifically Senate
Executive Document No. 62 Of the
Thirty-fourth Congress, third or extra
session 1t is report of the Secretary
of War mmunicating, in comp lance
with the request of the Senate, inform
alton respecting the purchase Of camels
for the purpose of military transporta
ton. The document was prepared
under the supervision of Jefferson
Davis, Secretary of War, and it is ad-
dressed to John NJ Mason, President
pro lem, of the Senate, a gentleman
who soon afterward enjoyed consider
able distinction by reason of his rela-
tons to said Jefferson Davis, President
Of the Southern Conlederacy, to the
Government of the United States, and
to that of her Britannia majesty.
Congress, by a bill approved by the
President, March 8, 1858, appropriated
$4,000 for the purchase and import
alton of camels, with view to expert
ments looking to the use of that ami
NAL upon this continent as an aid to
army transportation. That was in the
days when we talked good deal about
the Great American desert, and it was
not long after the French in Africa and
the British in various part of the Orient
had found the camel a valuable adjunct
to civilized or seml-Cvilized warfare
1t fell to the task OF Secretary Davis to
carry out the will OF Congress in
this matter, and he went about it with
the energy that afterward characterized
his conduct of less Creditable if more
serious adventure.
Mr.. Davis undertook his task in all
sincerity, and it was not his fault if it
afterward took on a comic opera air any
more than it was through lack Of official
gravity that his little volume now seems
to suggest the raw material tor one of
those Oriental eXtravaganzas recently
SO popular on the stage of New York.
Mr.. Davis informs the Senate in the
very beginning that seventy five Cames
have been imported, considerably
larger number than it would have been
possible to procure with the appropria-
ton but for the timely aid Of a naval
store ship returning from the Medter-
ranean. He expresses satisfaction with
the experiment SO far as it had then
developed, and predicted success in the
attempt to employ the camel in aid o.
any transportation on this continent
Then he goes on by means of tran
scripts from official documents to tel
the story of his Oriental quest.
Under Instructions from Mr. Davis
Major Henry c. Wayne left New York
May 20, 1855, charged with the task
of negotiating for $3o, 900 worth Of
Camels in the Levant He was to con
suit experts on the camel in England
France and elsewhere on his journey
and to bring home his camels on the
naval storeship Supply, then unde
command Of Lieutenant d. ID. Porter
and about to sail for the Mediterranean
with stores for the ships rendezvouseC
at Spezza Mr. Davis affirms in his
instructions to the Lieutenant tina
Damascus and Palmyra had once beer
famed for dromedaries, and that Khur
dstan still possessed animals Of ini
quality" The Secretary believed, how
ever, that the best breed of camel
was to be found in Persia He bad
Major Wayne to keep the War Depart
ment informed of his movements ant
of the progress of his quest
Lieutenant Porter's Instructions wer
to await Major Wayne at some con
NCElCIll punt III tIiC hCdllSllhllSalIi y
disembark land force at Beirout an,
to see that the expedition was ampl
protected against attacks from the war
like tribes of the interior On return
ing the Lieutenant was to land hi
cargo at some point at the coast {
Texas.
Major Wayne and Lieutenant Porte
accepted their quest in the same serlou
spirit in which 1t was Conhded to the
execution. The Major promptly wrot
to Secretary Davis to report his arrlvf
in London. Minister Buchanan n
ceived the officer cordially and at ono
perceived the important nature If h
business. the Minister, by way {
introducing the Majyr to the study
the camel, gave him a letter to Pre-
fessor Richard Owen, f. X, S, 'tt
Culver of England" Major Wayr
assures Mr.. Davis. The Professor W,
quite as much impressed with the que
as was Mr.. Buchanan, and 50 were tt
authorities of the London geologic
Gardens. Major Wayne visited tt
garden, and there, as he informs NJ
Davis, studied the feeding, care al
hygiene of the dromedary He tel
Mr.. Davis what food was served to Il
animals in captivity there, and tran
L Al, l. 81, n