The 
Departure— 
The Caravan 
— 30— 
the early days of the journey we are apt to lead the 
pack animals by rope; later on, we leave them free, 
and drive them before us. At first packing causes 
novices much trouble on the way. Here the towering 
pack leans to one side; there it topples under the ani- 
mal’s belly. At one time the beast stands stock still 
with its swaying load; at another it rushes madly off, 
kicking out till it is free of its burden. But pauseless, 
like an army over its fallen, the train moves on. With 
bottled-up wrath the older men, with raging and 
swearing the younger ones, gather up their belong- 
ings, load the beasts afresh, and trot after the col- 
umn. Toward noon a rest of an hour or two is made, 
if a suitable camp can be found, the chief requisites 
being fresh water, good grass, and sufficient wood. 
We unload the beasts to let them graze, and prepare 
a mid-day meal. Then we start off again, and march 
on till toward sunset. We set up the tents, prepare 
our meal, lie around the fire, and then, wrapped in 
our woolen blankets, commit ourselves to our fate till 
the next morning. In this way twenty to twenty-five 
miles are covered daily. The only food the animals 
get is grass. For ourselves, we take with us for the 
first week some provisions, such as ham, ship-biscuit, 
tea and coffee. Afterwards, we depend on hunting. 
Such are the daily doings of the caravan. : 
