142 ANIMALS USED JN WAR. 



•distances. Plumer's Ehodesia Eegiment, in March 1900, 

 accomplished a distance of 70 miles in 26 hours and not a single 

 man or animal dropped out. On the 22nd January 1879 a 

 strong body of motmted volunteers under Lieut. -Colonel 

 Eedvers H. Buller, of the Bechuanaland Field Force, between 

 1 a.m. and 11 p.m., that is in 22 hours, covered a distance of 

 70 miles over rough hilly country, the average height of the 

 animals being 14-2 to 14-3. The small Basuto pony in those 

 regions is renovs^ned for his stamina. 



A number of Khirgiz ponies from Asiatic Russia found their 

 wa,j to the South African War, and the history of the journey 

 of these hardy, short legged, straight backed, broad quartered 

 small animals (seldom over 14 hands) is most interesting. Six 

 or eight days were occupied in journeying by road from their 

 place of origin to Orenburg, where they were entrained to a 

 station on the Eiver Volga (either Samara or Saratov), then 

 placed in open boats and floated down the Volga for four to 

 seven days to Tzaritzan, thence by rail to Fiume ; and of all the 

 Eussian cobs they presented themselves for purchase in the 

 best condition. They had come 3000 miles and travelled for 

 one month to join His Majesty's Forces, and for subsequent 

 shipment from the Port of Fiume to South Africa. 



Indian Transport Ponies. 



In addition to the riding ponies above-mentioned, the Indian 

 Army maintains a number of pack and draught ponies, organ- 

 ised, as in the case of mules, into Corps. The height of these 

 animals is from 13-0 to 18-3. 



India is essentially a country of ponies and small animals, 

 and though there is a considerable number of indifferent speci- 

 mens, the resources of the country must be made use of to the 

 best advantage. 



For pack purposes the Indian pony is not an unmixed bless- 

 ing, and his history in War is far from satisfactory. He has 

 not the stamina of the mule, is more subject to debility, and is 

 much more prone to sore back. He is better placed in draught, 

 and when suitably selected and properly looked after, he proves 

 satisfactory in this sphere. A few extracts from the Veterinary 

 Eeports of Expeditionary Forces will make this clear. 



