18 THE CAMEL 



European Up to then, it was astonishing the lamentable 



ignorance 



of the ignorance and unpardonable indifference that prevailed 

 among Europeans generally and for the matter of 

 that, which still prevails except among those who 

 have lived and travelled in those countries where the 

 camel is principally if not exclusively used. I may go 

 still further, and assert that even amongst these a 

 knowledge of the animal is confined to a small minority. 



We ourselves, in spite of the common use that we 

 make of the camel in nearly all our expeditions, 

 especially in India, and despite the wholesale way in 

 which we slaughter them, have in no way made an 

 effort to study the camel. Nor have we attempted to 

 lay down a system which would enable our soldiers to 

 learn his customs and capacities, so that they could 

 treat him in a rational and practical manner. 



It will be my earnest endeavour in the following 

 pages to give some idea, at all events, of the treatment 

 and management of the camel, in all its phases, in 

 connection with the military machine, and in order to 

 be as clear and as explicit as possible I have divided 

 the subject into the following chapters, viz. : 



I. Structural Peculiari- 

 ties and Anatomical 

 Notes. 



II. Characteristics and 

 Temperament. 



III. Instinct and Intelli- 



gence. 



IV. Species and Breeds. 

 V. Breeding. 



VI. Watering. 

 VII. Feeding. 



VIII. Loading. 

 IX. Marching and Carrying 



Power. 

 X. Ailments, Causes and 



Remedies. 

 XI. Equipment. 

 XII. General Management. 



XIII. Comparison with Other 



Animals. 



XIV. Purchasing. 



XV. General Remarks. 



