Show BUILT FOR SHALLOW WATER Peculiar Marine Institution on New England Coast Was Known In 1842 as the Camel In the year 1842 a n queer marine In Institution In made its appearance in Nantucket Nantucket Nan Nan- and bore the name of camel These camels w were re really huge fio floating t dry docks for carrying ships over the bar where the depth of or water had hud been gradually decreasing since 1830 Being flat bottomed the camels could coul d float toot In water very much shallower than a loaded ship required The They Y were like two two long large boxes floating floating float float- ing InK side eidt by side and nod held together a athe at Q the ends cads by large iron chains The outer sides were almost almost straight t up and down but the Inner sides were e te curved carved making when the two sections 4 were drawn together an Interior basin just the shape of the bottom of a ship I The plan was for tor the camels to b be e separated far for enough to allow th the e ships to be hauled Into the basin between between between be be- tween the two sections then to b be drawn and held fastened together b by bythe bythe the chains holding the ship between them so that the camels and the ship could then be towed over the shallow w places in the channel to the wharf I |