204 THE CAMEL 



weight. With a proper system of transport this would 

 be feasible enough; but under existing conditions, 

 battling against time, as our transport on service 

 always does, it would be rather difficult. Still, it is 

 marvellous what can be done when the shoulder is put 

 manfully to the wheel. I think I am right in saying 

 that Sir Charles Napier did it in Sind. When he 

 formed his camel and land transport corps, the weight 

 each camel could carry was ticketed on his neck. What 

 he did then we surely could do now. 

 Weight- It is quite a mistake to think that the baggager can 



carrying 



capacity carry the enormous weights attributed to him. The 

 opinions that existed pretty universal they were too 

 as to his weight-carrying capacity were simply erro- 

 neous and absurd, and even nowadays great ignorance 

 prevails on this point. I have heard it stated verbally, 

 and I have seen it in standard works of reference, 

 that he can carry from 1,000 to 1,500 lb., and with 

 this c mere nothing ' on his back march daily from 

 thirty to forty miles day after day. I could quote 

 several instances, but one will serve my purpose well 

 enough. Dallas where he got his information from I 

 do not know, but he does not speak from personal ex- 

 perience says : 6 Large powerful camels will carry 

 1,500 lb. for three or four miles, and these will travel 

 for several days with a load of 1,000 lb. Those coming 

 to Egypt from the interior of Africa rarely carry more 

 than 5 cwt. With such loads as these they can travel 

 thirty miles a day.' Granted that a camel will carry 

 1,500 lb. for a few miles, for all practical purposes 

 there is little use in this, and if you insist upon his 

 doing three or four miles a day with this weight the 



