120 



record that it was on the move for some 1 7 weeks, passed all over 

 Central India at a walk of 3 to o| miles per hour, averaging 

 20 miles per diem. On one occasion it did 36 miles in 13 hours ; 

 in all it covered 1,496 miles, and always had 95 per cent, of its 

 camels serviceable, the animals being well taken care of, for it is 

 noted that the men were always dismounted at wet slippery 

 nullahs. The Commanding Officer rode on horseback. Bethune's 

 Corps consisted of 155 camels, of which 150 each carried a driver 

 (Native) and a Highlander. The Nile Corps had a European 

 per camel, no Native driver. Each gun of the Artillery Battery 

 had six Natives for its 18 camels, there being nine Europeans to 

 work the gan. 



The Suakim Corps was never fully put to the test, but it was 

 organised so that five European soldiers and one driver were 

 carried on every three camels, the former when necessary to look 

 to the grooming and general care of the camels which in camp 

 was carried out by the driver. Thus five fighting men became 

 available for every three camels, and certain amounts of ammu- 

 nition, rations, and water, besides blankets, were to be carried, 

 each camel having a load of 418 to 430 lb., which, it is presumed, 

 would be too considerable for a long and fatiguing service. 

 It is concluded that experience is in favour of one fighting man 

 and one armed driver per camel* other camels for icater, food, and 

 ammunition, and 10_per cent, camels spare. 



As to the DUTIES OF Camel Corps, Napoleon's were infantry 

 regiments, capable of rapid movements, and they proved useful 

 in dealing with predatory tribesmen harassing the line of march. 

 It was found that the dromedary w^ould run nearly as fast as a 

 horse could gallop, and could keep up the pace longer, and so 

 could run the horsemen down ; the camel-men proved useful as 

 bearers of despatches, for keeping up communications, and as 

 scouts, their height when mounted enabling them to see to great 

 distances. Sir George Green shows that Camel Corps are speci- 

 ally useful for covering considerable distances in a night (60 or 



* The hind seat is most comfortable and the rider is less shaken than 

 in the front one, and therefore after a long march can sooner come steadily 

 into action. Especially is this the case if he has learned to ride loosely in 

 the saddle without knee-grip, or can sleep in the saddle. 



