CAMELS. 153 



but indifferent in quantity. In the old Kabul papers I find the 

 following scale laid down : — 



Camels on command 3 seers Barley ^ 10 seers Bhoosa or 

 ,, in cantonments li „ „ I equivalent in cost of 



„ on fatigue duty 2 „ „ J any other fodder. 



„ at graze 1 „ „ No Bhoosa 



The amount of Barley (a very inferior grain to the Gram of 

 India for working ruminants) cannot be considered excessive. 

 I find no reference in any report to Bhoosa, but considerable 

 stress is laid on the inability to obtain grazing, and what 

 grazing existed was not of a kind the animals were accustomed 

 to. Grazing has always been the basis of Camel feeding 

 in every Camel country, and the estimated time per day to 

 obtain a sufficiency of aliment is six hours. "What possible 

 grazing is procurable at all seasons of the year amongst the 

 rocks and mountains of the North-West Frontiers? And what 

 time can be devoted to grazing, even if the military situation 

 permits of it, is difficult to imagine. It is quite an impracticable 

 idea on Service. The wretched animal has to fall back on his 

 grain ration, administered by men tired out with marching, and 

 he is lucky if he gets a portion of his scheduled amount. It is 

 a picture that is applicable to any theatre of War. 



The Eeport above mentioned goes on to say : — 



" It is a well known fact that no amount of grain will serve 

 to sustain Camels that do not get their necessary amount of 

 grazing. For military reasons it was deemed desirable that the 

 troops should push to the Front in November 1878 without 

 halting. The marches were long and the roads indifferent. The 

 baggage animals often came in at 5 a.m. having marched from 

 8 o'clock the previous morning and again were on the move by 

 10 a.m., so that the animals had tipie neither for grazing nor 

 resting." 



It is an old story, carrying profound lessons. Experience is 

 often dearly bought, and the lessons should therefore be the 

 more appreciated. 



Thank goodness we have broken a,way from many old ideas 

 of darkness and empiricism in regard to the management under 

 war conditions of this indispensable animal of transport. There 

 still, however, remains a lot to be done to put him on a better 



