SHEDDING OF THE COAT. 127 



is never put on a beast which carries with ease 4 cwts. 

 of tea. Laden camels average twenty-eight miles 

 a day, a rate of progress which can be kept up 

 for a month. After ten days or a fortnight's rest 

 the caravan is ready for another journey ; working 

 in this way all through the winter, i.e. for six or 

 seven months. At the end of that period the camels 

 grow very thin, and are given their liberty for the 

 whole summer ; this holiday and the run of the 

 steppe restores their strength, but without it they 

 would not last more than a year. The reason 01 

 our losing so many was the necessity for driving 

 them continuously without ever resting them. 



In March they begin shedding their coats, and 

 at the end of June the hair has entirely disappeared, 

 leaving the skin quite bare ; at such times they are 

 susceptible to cold, rain, and every change ot 

 weather ; they are weak, and a small load soon galls 

 their backs ; but before long a fine, short, mouse-like 

 hair begins to cover their whole bodies, and by the 

 end of September the new coat is fully grown. The 

 males, especially the stallions, then look their best, 

 with long manes and tufts of hair underneath the 

 neck, and below the knees of the fore legs. 



On a winter journey the camels are hardly ever 

 unsaddled ; but on arriving at the halting place are 

 at once let loose to graze. In summer and hot 

 weather the saddles must be removed every day, 

 yet with every care and precaution sore backs can- 

 not be always avoided. Nothing will induce an 

 experienced Mongol to undertake a journey on 



