140 



necessary, tie his mouth or put on a muzzle, stand a man 

 on each fore-arm and on each thigh, then slip the sling beneath 

 the body which is easily done if the camel sits square. Haul 

 up and place the camels around the deck looking inwards and 

 with fore legs tied. They can stand up if there be 8^ feet 

 between decks, and may be allowed to do so if the sea is 

 calm. Troublesome cracks form in the bend of the knee and of 

 the hock of camels kept squatting too long, for the sand works 

 into these parts. The party sent by the United States Govern- 

 ment to bring camels over hauled camels into boats by means of 

 a special tackle and sheer force. On board they were fitted with 

 harness and other gear and conveniences. In rough weather 

 they were carefully tied down fore and aft {precis from Byrne on 

 Transport). The camels thus dealt with were evidently few and 

 valuable but were cared for with great judgment and success. 



Note 12, — Value, kelative and absolute, of camels for Trans- 

 poet ON Service : The camel is reported to be ill adapted for 

 military purposes and difiicult to deal with (Burt), of all campaign- 

 ing animals the most delicate (Jones), very nervous, so that he 

 often comes in for abuse and brutal treatment from attendants 

 (Smith). His saddles are difficult to fit, loads to adjust, and his 

 gait is rolling ; he is slow, difficult to mount and dismount and 

 also to control ; he requires a long time for feeding and diges- 

 tion (Burt). Queriple considers that although mules would 

 have had to be imported they would have been better for use in 

 the Soudan than camels, for the Military operations would not 

 have been hampered as they were. That horses or mules would 

 not live in the Soudan was amply proved to be an error. The 

 reasons for preferring mule to camel transport are enumerated 

 as follows : — 



(1.) "That in proportion to the amount of food required by a 

 mule he carries as much, if not more than, the camel. 



(2.) That the mule would not have been subjected to the 

 amount of cruelty that was practised. The ordinary Englishman 

 looked upon the camel as, if I might use the term, an unknown 

 beast, able to withstand any ill-treatment, and, consequently, but 

 little attention was at times paid to saddlery. 



