LOADING 173 



Nubia who were employed by the military authorities 

 in the desert march in 1885 under Sir Herbert Stewart 

 to carry goods from Korti to Gakdool loaded their 

 camels perfectly and altogether by balance, without 

 the use of girths ; and another great advantage we 

 derived by hiring camels from them was that they only 

 had one driver to every ten camels. 



All loading should be done by balance, consequently size and 

 all goods for military purposes ought to be made of a k>a!as 

 certain size, shape, and weight, if possible. No load 

 in the shape of bale, box, or package should ever 

 exceed 80 Ib. as a maximum (something that one 

 man can move about easily), or 50 Ib. as a minimum ; 

 nor should they measure over 3 feet in length, 1^ foot 

 in breadth, and 2 feet in depth. With these sizes and 

 weights loading is made much easier and simpler. 

 Heavier or bulkier weights and longer measurements 

 only impede the movements of the camel, and turn 

 loading into a labour of pain. It is a needless infliction 

 of cruelty, for boxes, bales, &c., could easily be con- 

 structed of a size and shape suitable to pack-animals 

 camels, mules, donkeys, &c. Some authorities on 

 transport consider that the camel is well adapted 

 for carrying long articles, such as ' scaling ladders,' 

 ' pontoons,' c large double-pole tents,' ' baking-ovens,' 

 &c. Of course, with the exception of the elephant, he 

 is better adapted than any other pack-animal, because 

 he is bigger and up to more weight ; but even when 

 well loaded, things like these, especially ' large tents ' 

 and ' pontoons,' are apt to bruise and damage him in 

 the neck, shoulders, and hindquarters. Unless un- 

 avoidable, owing to the nature of the country, wheeled 



