198 THE CAMEL 



over twenty, and once twenty-three. All this time 

 the wretched camels, half frozen and half starved, had 

 been staggering and standing under heavy loads with- 

 out a check ; and in the same campaign owing to 

 the desertion of the drivers I have seen from ten to 

 twelve camels tied in a string, the consequences being 

 frequently very disastrous. At times, when I think over 

 all I have gone through, or rather what the unfortu- 

 nate camels have undergone under my own eyes, the 

 suffering and torture that they have been put to, un- 

 wittingly maybe, and yet from sheer ignorance and 

 thoughtlessness while I have looked on, doing my best 

 to alleviate their troubles, I can conscientiously say, 

 but owing to the want of a proper system utterly power- 

 less to avoid or remove them I can hardly realise that 

 I have witnessed what I have. 

 Treatment Treated as he is on military expeditions the camel 



on mili- 

 tary expe- has no chance given him to show of what stuff he is 



made the endurance and stamina he really has if 

 given a fair trial. In fact, to find out his real worth, 

 to see him in his true colours, you must see him work- 

 ing in his own country under men who live by him. 

 In the commercial caravans which travel between 

 Suakim and Berber, Korosko and Abu Hamed, also 

 in Afghanistan and India, &c., &c., his true value is 

 tested, for he is in the hands of those who value and 

 appreciate him if for nothing else from a pecuniary 

 point of view, for all their wealth lies in their camels 

 consequently, he is under proper management. 

 Advan- Their convoys certainly have many advantages, 



which are almost, but I will not say altogether, unattain- 

 able in a military train. They have above all things 



tages of 

 commer- 

 cial cara- 

 vans 



