290 



ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



Egyptian delta and river camels must be watered daily. 



Indian camels will do well enough if watered every other day. 



Arab and desert camels will go two or three days. 



Somali camels will not die if watered once every four days ; but it is 

 better to make the rule to water daily, if water can be got. With green 

 grazing much less water is required than when dry food is given. 



After long abstinence it is not wise to let camels fill themselves 

 hurriedly ; it is better to give a very moderate quantity at first, and 

 subsequently allow them to drink as much as they will. After four or 

 five days' abstinence in hot weather they may drink as much as twenty 

 gallons. 



Camels prefer still to running water, and should be watered while the 

 sun is up and the water warm. It is usual to water them in the 

 afternoon on their way back from grazing, and before they receive their 

 grain food. On the march camels are not usually allowed to drink at 

 wayside streams, and though this is contrary to the rules for other 

 animals, it appears to be the outcome of experience. If, however, it is 

 known that no water is procurable at the halting place, the rule should, 

 of course, be broken. 



Marching with Camels. 



Marching 



with 



camels. 



Marching with cainels. — The considerations to be borne in mind 

 are : — The animals should not work more than eight hours a day. 



They should be allowed to graze from 8 or 9 a.m. till 4 or 5 p.m. 



The personnel must get sufficient rest at night. 



With marches of not more than 15 miles, the whole may be done at 

 once ; but if 20 miles is demanded, it is better to do 15 in the morning 

 and 5 in the evening. 



When the ground is suitable, z.^., free from ditches (nullahs), and 

 there is a moon, camels march well at night, and night marching has the 

 advantage of being cool and allowing them plenty of daylight for grazing. 

 On the other hand, if the road is difficult and the night dark, night 

 marching is not advisable, and a start should be made at dawn. 



The pace of baggage camels under favourable conditions is i\ miles 

 an hour ; it may perhaps occasionally exceed this a trifle, but under any 

 circumstances, it is bad policy to hurry, as it quickly wears them out. 

 A start should be made at 2 or 3 a.m. ; the morning march concluded 

 before 9 a.m., and the balance, if any, done after 4 p.m. More than 

 twenty miles a day cannot be e.xpected as a rule either from men or 

 animals. 



