GENERAL REMARKS 325 



In October 1892, learning that his Excellency Sir 

 Henry Loch, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., was considering the 

 question of adopting camels in Bechuanaland, I called 

 on him, and finding that he took a deep interest in the 

 subject I wrote him a, precis on it. So far, however, the 

 Imperial Government, to whom Sir Henry Loch sub- 

 mitted a scheme for introducing them, have taken 

 no steps. This, apart from every other consideration, 

 is a great pity. In Cape Colony, the Orange Free 

 State, Transvaal, Natal, outside the railway sphere 

 camels would be very useful, though the sluggishness 

 and deep-rooted conservatism of the people in favour of 

 the ox, with which they have always worked, would be 

 extremely difficult, if possible, to overcome. In Nama- 

 qualand, Bechuanaland, the Protectorate, Kalahari 

 Desert, and in the British South Africa Company's terri- 

 tories, the uses of both Sawari and baggager, the former 

 especially, cannot be exaggerated. From a purely 

 practical, and eventually economical, point of view it 

 would be almost impossible to place a value on them. 



To make the matter as clear as possible, I will draw Apractical 

 as practical a comparison as I can between the ox and soiTbe" 

 the camel, showing their relative advantages and draw- camel ^nd 

 backs. To begin with. Until January 1893 I was oxwa g n 

 doubtful as to the liability of the latter to lung sickness. 

 Then, by the kindness of his Excellency Sir Henry 

 Loch, I was enabled to read a Eeport on the Employ- 

 ment of Camels in South-West Africa, by Major 

 von Francois, the German Commissioner in those parts, 

 a Eeport to which I intend to refer in the following 

 pages. After two years' experience with some camels 

 that he had imported from Teneriffe (an inferior breed, 



