FEEDING 165 



work is hard a supplementary grain ration is all the 

 better, and the more needful to sustain and support 

 the stamina ; it must, however, be grain to which they 

 have been accustomed. A day's rest in a good pasture, 

 at the rate of every fourth day on a long and trying 

 march, and once a week on shorter journeys, is an 

 absolute essential to maintain condition ; what is more, 

 in the end a saving in time and money is effected, 

 because the animals do not get knocked up, and march 

 all the quicker for it, and there is less loss of life among 

 them. On the termination of the former they ought to 

 be turned out for several days, say, from a week to a fort- 

 night, altogether dependent on the length of march, the 

 amount of work done, and the condition they arrive in. 



When camels are subsisting on dry rations only, 

 and the grazing is either nil or scanty, it is impera- 

 tively essential to give them green food, such as clover, 

 lucerne, or the ordinary grasses, in order to cleanse 

 and purify their systems, and to keep them free from 

 scorbutic and other skin affections in fact, to preserve 

 their condition. One good feed, or about four hours' 

 grazing daily, or every alternate day at the least, is 

 sufficient to effect this. 



I have already alluded in chapter iii. to a statement when 

 by Lieut. Massoutier as to 6 the refusal of camels to eat should not 

 camel thorn when saturated with moisture ; and for 

 the reason that it is injurious to them when in this 

 state, they should not be sent out to graze while the 

 dew is on the ground/ The former part of this we 

 have discussed. The latter, as to the liability to injury, 

 we will now go into. On this point I think he is so 

 far right, that camels, being of an organisation that is 



