LOADING 175 



avoid it, for loading purposes, but always pick out the 

 softest place, so as to save the animal's legs, the knees 

 especially, from being cut and injured by the rocks and 

 stones. 



It is easy enough to load without nets, provided Loading 

 the drivers are handy, and know how to use the rope 

 and tie knots. In distributing goods, the first thing a 

 transport officer should see to is an equal distribution 

 of goods according to the weight-carrying capacity of 

 each animal ; next, that each load is divided equally 

 into two parts, both in weight and dimensions. Each 

 half should then be secured to the longitudinal ribs of 

 the saddle, and their upper ends ought to be fastened 

 by the ropes which hang over the clutches, so that 

 there should be as little pressure on the ribs as possible, 

 and thus protect the animal's flanks and spine from 

 injury. The loads should be so packed and fastened 

 that they can be placed on and taken off the animal 

 without untying the rope. There is a good deal of art 

 in this, as the load requires to be well and evenly 

 adjusted, and balanced to a nicety. The rope holding 

 it together should also be distributed over the load at 

 equal distances, otherwise a just and even balance 

 would not be obtained. The Aden drivers I had at 

 Suakim in 1884 were very smart at this. With inex- 

 perienced drivers, such as a transport officer invariably 

 has on all our expeditions, or with fatigue parties of 

 soldiers, it is advisable to use nets, especially on service Better to 

 where time is all important, for (1) a great deal of time use nets 

 and trouble is saved, (2) the loads and the animals get 

 less knocked about, and (3) the daily loading and un- 

 loading is made so much simpler and easier; all the 



