Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-26

propriating $3O 900 for this purpose. Ma jor Henry Wayne was selected to go to the east to buy the camels and to bring them to New York on a naval stores ship. Major Wayne first visited London and Paris in order to get all possible information upon the subject of camels from military men who had served in eastern campaigns. He consulted with camel experts and visited geological gardens where tho animals werC kept in order to thoroughly acquaint him. self with their habits, diet and care. Then he went on to Tunis, where the bey, learn ing his errand, presented the United States government with two dromedaries that its agent might have an object lesson as quickly as possible,
 From Tunis the camel ambassador went to Constantinople. In Egypt the camel question became a burning issue in the khedive's cabinet. As it was against the law to sell camels out of Egypt, a present of several fine creatures was made by the Egyptian government to that of the Unit ed States. This number was augmented at Smyrna, Asia Minor, and shipped to Indianola, Tex, thence taken to Camp Verde, where they were kept several years. Then they were taken overland to various Texan points, each carrying government stores of about l ,5O0 pounds. From 1857 to 1861 some of these camels were kept at the United States forts at Bowie and Fl Paso. When the civil war broke out, these forts were deserted and the Camels al lowed to roam away. They wandered into the mountains and deserts, making their way to the region of the Colorado river, and even into southern California and the Gila country. Some got down into Mexico at least 30 miles below the territorial linn its, where the Indians killed and feasted ENS,, foIr
 Camel Diplomacy.
 All of this history, my military friend told me, Is Eet forth in the government re ports at Washington and forms the most amusing reading. The officials concerned in the great camel deal appear to have had a very important conception of their parts and to have given most laborious and mi
 mute reports of all their movements. Jeffer- son Davis himself in his reports and in structions applied his mind to the consid
 eration of the camel question with the same seriousness which would have char acterized diplomatic discussion.
 He gave very particular instructions to the government agent when and where to buy, recommending Damascus and Pal myra as the best shopping districts for camels and stating that bargains in drom
 edaries undoubtedly could be obtained in
 Kurdistan. He directed Major Wayne to call upon Minister Buchanan in London
 and explain the importance of his mission.
 In addition to all this voluminous instruc- tion the secretary of war wrote Q valuable
 treatise on the subject of camels in rela-
 tion to military employment. Was there ever anything funnier? The secretary ot
 war of this great republic engaged in writ ing a pamphlet, "What I Know About Dronledaries, " and gravely submitting it to be placed among the archives of the
 government!
 Major Wayne took himself quite as se- riously as did the secretary. He called upon Minister Buchanan in London and Minister Mason in Paris, and these twu famous diplomats lent their grave and rev orend consideration to tho mighty subject 2f dromednRies, giving advice and intro ductory letters galore to the agent of the United States government on his quest for camels. All these attentions were duly chronicled and reported to the secretary oi war at Washington, together with great mass of correspondence which the major held with various missionaries in the east on the nature, manners, food, care and
 breeding of the camel. Hepaid from $50 to $1 1000 for the beast and engaged Arabs | to care for them on the voyage to this country. The great pains, the enormous expense and above all the amusing iIkerest taken by these government officials seem to the practical, matter of fact Yankee oi
 today extremely absurd, and when ono considers that all this fuss was to the end that a few bony old beasts might wander across the wilds of Arizona chewing tht
 bitter end of the cactus and alarming the | transcontinental tourist the whole affair grows absolutely ridiculous.
 l.. Finally Became Elephants. When the camels were finally distributed ! among various western army posts, tho l owners found they had Ian elephant or | their hands.'' The creatures were afflicted with strange and incomprehensible dis | cases with which the western horse doctor l could not wrest1e. Horses did not likt them and became festiye when stabled
 with tho tigly eastern visitors Even thu I hostlers took violent dislike to the pool beastsl Hs thb labor of harnessinR nnt