BAGGAGE AND HIDING CAMELS 



examination. I found the bowels ulcerated and the 

 liver obviously diseased. This sickness is said to 

 attack chiefly the camels brought from the interior to 

 the coast, and is almost invariably fatal. 



Most of the common ailments of camels and cattle 

 are treated by "firing," or cauterisation. 



The Somali recognise a variety of breeds, for each 

 of which they have a special name. But the camels 

 bred in Jubaland are only taught to carry loads, and I 

 did not see any riding camels, except those that had 

 been imported from Aden by the Government. 

 Experts say that there is as much difference between 

 the two as there is between a cart horse and a 

 thoroughbred. The baggage animal is certainly much 

 heavier, and although some have been taught to trot 

 for use in the Camel Corps, I know from personal 

 experience that their gait is exceedingly uncomfortable, 

 and can never compare with that of the swifter and 

 more lightly built riding camel from Arabia. More- 

 over, the difference in value is enormous. A good 

 baggage camel can be bought in the interior for £2 

 to £2) — 3.t Kismayu the price is increased to £^ or £6, 

 — but a well-trained riding camel will never fetch less 

 than £\^y and generally much more. 



Camels vary in colour enormously. Those from 

 Wajheir and the upper Juba are dark reddish, while 

 those from the Benadir coast and the country near 

 Brava and from southern Italian Somaliland are 

 almost white. I regret to say that I omitted to 

 ascertain the different names applied to these camels. 

 " Aurki," which, strictly speaking, means a stallion, 

 is generally used to indicate baggage camels, while 

 " Gol " refers to one which has been gelded, or " beef 

 camel." 



275 



