16 



saddle^ and gall easily^ for the whole coat is then shed_, and the 

 animal should be sent to graze for 3 months. They generally die 

 or remain permanently in bad condition if worked in the summer 

 months (Martin).* Oliphant was informed that the natives are 

 of opinion that Camels cannot live through a summer in the Kuram 

 valley- In this want of adaptibility to climate the camel is infe- 

 rior as an animal of Transport to the ox or the mule, (c) Differ- 

 ent kinds of roads influence the progression of camels variously. 

 On a level sandy road camels will travel as fast as any other ani- 

 mal, and they will continue at work for a greater length of time 

 and under a hotter sun than any other Transport animal ; under 

 such circumstances the large plain Camel is the most useful but 

 proves quite unfit to cope with the difficulties of an uphill or down- 

 hill road across a pass, which can be traversed with facility by 

 the Paharis. Most camels are bad climbers and unsuited for 

 journeys over undulating or mountain roads and must be given 

 only short marches and judiciously halted to rest before the fati- 

 gues of a long ascent commence. Stony roads are an impediment 

 to camels if the stones be rounded and liable to roll under their 

 feet, on the other hand sharp stones are apt to injure the 

 foot-pads. But over shingle or where stones are frequent but not 

 large, sharp, or rounded, camels go well. Moisture impedes pro- 

 gress and sadly diminishes the value of the Camel Transport ; it 

 was found by the French that in the mountains and valleys of the 

 Tell a day's rain or snow suffices to stop a whole convoy of camels. 

 The moisture renders rock and clay slippery and falls ai-e fre- 

 quent and serious among the laden camels,t which become rapidly 

 tired in consequence of the difficulty in keeping on theii' feet. 

 Yaldwin tells us that the Bactrian Camel has a sort of claw or toe 

 projecting beyond the pad of the foot which enables him to go 

 over ice and snow safely. With regard to the ordinary impedi- 

 ments met with in travelling through those countries in which 

 the camel is principally used, he can traverse deep fords, which 



* But the Tartars of Kii-gliiz use them during tlie summer witli light 

 loads ■which they gi^adually increase as the animals regain condition. 



f In passing slippery places the Serwans pass a rope round the hind legs 

 in such a way as to allow of only short steps being taken and to prevent 

 divergence of the limbs so abruptly as to " split the animal up," one of 

 the most frequent accidents to camels on the march. 



