MANAGEMENT 271 



To provide for this on service sick or remount sick and 

 depots should be placed at certain intervals on the lines depots. 

 of communication, naturally dependent on their length 

 and on the nature of the country. Here all sick camels 

 should be left, and replaced by fresh ones. Those only 

 very slightly and temporarily indisposed need not be- 

 left, but any that show signs of staleness or debility, and' 

 all those with fresh rubs and galls, are better left to^ 

 recoup. For it is in this way the mischief is done, and 

 by working these animals the debility increases and the- 

 rubs develop daily ; they gradually grow weaker, and 

 finally succumb. Taken in time, with rest and good 

 diet, they recover in a few days pick up their strength 

 and renew a fresh lease of life, in fact. These depots 

 should be well stocked with a large surplus of working 

 animals, so as to replace the sick ; and if properly 

 worked, they would, I feel sure, be an immense * 

 economy. For it is better in the beginning to purchase 

 double the number of camels than to try and do the 

 work with less than half, all of which we kill and 

 replace, until in the end we have purchased far more 

 than we would have been obliged to had we commenced 

 with the requisite number. 



A camel that has been resting in camp without work, HOW a 

 owing to weakness, sickness, or other cause, or that 



has been allowed to run loose for some time, naturally should be 

 loses condition and becomes soft, especially about the treated 

 hump and ribs. Such animal should be put to work 

 very gradually and systematically, as it is more liable 

 to galls and to breakdown, and until its condition has 

 distinctly improved it should only carry light loads and 

 make short marches, both of which can be increased 



