152 ANIMALS USED IN WAR. 



(not on) his person — is an expense store in himself, and proof 

 against privation. The idea has been dwelt on by many writers 

 to a fanciful extent. He is presumed to have the courage of a 

 stoic, yet without intelligence, and he drops down dead. 



Was there ever any greater fallacy ? The capacity of the so- 

 called cisterns is a quart on the right side of the stomach and 

 about a gallon on the left side. The contents are a mixture of 

 food, water, and mucus. The hump consists largely of adipose 

 tissue, and though its size and firmness are indications of health, 

 and it will waste with privation, it is no more of a larder than 

 the fat on one's own body. Apart from disease, to which I will 

 presently refer, the stoic dies from exhaustion induced by 

 privation of food and water; and it is the intelligence of the 

 human being who is constituted his mentor that is at fault — 

 not the camel's. Until this is realized, grave loss of camels will 

 result. No human, animal, or mechanical engine can perform 

 work without fuel and water. It is a very elementary proposi- 

 tion, and it is responsible for a large amount of the demerits 

 ascribed to camel kind, notably disease, death without apparent 

 cause, heat apoplexy or exhaustion, inability to stand climatic 

 changes, etc. 



The Afghan War of 1878-80 cost us close on 60,000 camels 

 (including desertions) and the causes of such heavy wastage 

 were commonly ascribed to the following : — 



(i) " Scarcity and indifference of food." 



(ii) "The great strain thrown on the animals at the com- 

 mencement of the campaign." 



(iii) " The employment of a large number of camels only 

 accustomed to the plains of India." 



(iv) "The severe weather of the winter and early spring." 

 (v) " The necessity of employing the animals during a season 

 of the year when at ordinary times they suffer peren- 

 nially and are uniformly given rest." 



(vi) "The uselessness and ignorance of the men sent as 

 attendants on Government camels." 



I wish specially to draw attention to the factors of Food and 

 Man, and particularly to the Food, which was not only scarce 



