36 WAGNER and TREVOR 



to the bite of the tsetse fly, the Abyssynian breed being particu- 

 larly resistant in this respect. They were very extensively employed 

 in the campaign in East Africa and though most of them eventually 

 died they long outlived all other transport animals. They are 

 extremely hardy and can if well treated subsist on almost any 

 vegetation and go without water for two or three days, but they 

 take longer to feed than oxen and the slow pace at which they 

 travel is heartbreaking to Europeans new to this form of transport. 



Lions have a predilection for donkey flesh and attack and carry 

 off donkeys in preference to almost any other animal. When trekking 

 through lion country special precautions have, therefore, to be taken. 

 The donkeys should never be allowed to stray far from the camp 

 and it is advisable at night to tether them to a stout rope stretched 

 between two trees and keep an acetylene or oil lamp burning near 

 them. A burning acetylene lamp suspended from a branch some 

 distance above the ground has proved to be a very effective means 

 of keeping off lions, having apparently an eerie effect on the king 

 of beasts. 



The price of donkeys ranges from 5.0.0. to 7.10.0. a head 

 and harness for 20 donkeys costs new about 20.0.0. 



Mules. Mule transport travels at from 4 to 6 miles an hour and 

 is practicable for ordinary mules anywhere South of the latitude 

 of Pretoria. North of this it is customary to immunise mules against 

 horse sickness by innoculation, the immunity given being practically 

 perfect. 



Compared with oxen and donkeys mules are at a great disad- 

 vantage in that they require feeding over and above the natural 

 grazing obtainable in most parts of the country. This renders them 

 quite unsuitable for any work away from districts where forage is 

 readily procurable. They also require more regular watering than 

 oxen and donkeys and are not satisfactory in sandy country. 



The price of immunised mules in the Northern part of the Union 

 and Southern Rhodesia is about 30.0.0. per head. 



Ox-Carts. Second in dependability only to the ox-wagon is the 

 heavy ox-cart, drawn by from 4 to 6 yoke of oxen It corres- 

 ponds with the back part of a half-tented wagon and has the 

 great advantage over the wagon that it can turn in, its own length 

 and is not so heavy on the animals, particularly in deep sand- 



Ox-carts are thus well adapted for travelling in rough trackless 

 country, where sand dunes have to be negotiated. They can be 



