330 THE CAMEL 



6. No trouble fording rivers, where wagons would 

 have to be unloaded. 



7. Not subject to the diseases so fatal to cattle up 

 country. 



8. Live and work four times as long. 



9. Greater powers of abstinence from food and 

 water. 



10. Greater tenacity and endurance. 



11. Wagon liable to break down, upset, or stick. 

 Consequent loss of time and additional expense in 

 former case, besides inability or want of means to 

 repair. 



12. Lastly, the additional dead weight of the wagon, 

 w r hich is considerable at least a ton, I should say. 



Another very noticeable point is, that in the dry 

 season preceding the rains, when grass and water are 

 scarce in the veldt, oxen lose condition and fail con- 

 siderably. This would in no way affect camels, for 

 there would always be a sufficiency of water for them, 

 while they would get ample grazing among the different 

 kinds of prickly thorny bushes and trees in which the 

 veldt abounds. 



Against these the only two disadvantages that can 

 be advanced are (1) greater expense, (2) daily load- 

 ing and unloading, (3) more attendants. As to the 

 first, taking this into account, the greater returns, as I 

 will show later on, will more than counterbalance the 

 excessive expenditure, and time will reduce even this to 

 its proper level. As to the second, it is, after all, a 

 trifle, and with loading nets the trouble and delay can 

 be reduced to a minimum. Besides, once loaded, a 

 camel can, as a rule, accomplish his journey in one 



