PURCHASING 301 



an army is considerably diminished, consequently it is 

 far more vulnerable, and exposed to the attack of an 

 active and mobile force. At the outset, therefore, of 

 our little wars, owing to a defective system, animals 

 have to be bought here, there, and everywhere, in large 

 numbers, and in a great hurry. For though we re- 

 cognise in theory the truism of that ancient precept, 

 quoted in more recent times by Washington, that ' to 

 be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means 

 of preserving peace,' and although we acknowledge 

 the soundness of its principles, British-like we never 

 act up to it. 



I believe we mean to, but somehow or other we 

 never do. With what results ? All those who are ac- 

 quainted with the history of our expeditions during the 

 past twenty years or so could tell ; or if that enter- 

 prising American, Mr. Garner, who has recently encaged 

 himself in the heart of Africa in order to learn 

 ' monkey language,' could only go a trifle further, 

 and master the mysteries of the camel tongue, what an 

 extraordinary flood of light would be thrown on the 

 diabolical sufferings and hideous tortures that have 

 been forced on the poor camel by stern-hearted man, 

 especially were he to have the good fortune to drop 

 across a survivor which I strongly doubt from either 

 the Afghan or Nile expeditions ! What a tale of woe, 

 and what a lesson to us for future guidance ! 



And so men are sent out to purchase against time Time 

 make a note of this, for c time ' is an all-important factor, 

 the most important, in fact, in war, and is ignored men 

 whose sole idea is to buy as many animals as they can ; 

 good or bad, old or young, it is all the same to them, 



