66 BEASTS AND MEN . 
hyena. The night is usually chosen for travelling, on ac- 
count of the comparative coolness which is then enjoyed. In 
the daytime all the countries surrounding the Red Sea are 
scorched with heat, the thermometer often rising nearly to 45° 
C. (113° F.) in the shade. At night, although the temperature 
does not fall so very much, yet one does at least enjoy im- 
munity from the fierce glare of the sunlight. Of the two 
fundamental difficulties of travelling, the great heat and the 
scarcity of water, the former is overcome by journeying only 
at night, and the latter by careful preparations. 
The caravan commences its march shortly before sunset ; 
each man falling into his proper position at the appointed 
time. The larger animals are driven along by one or more 
attendants—a giraffe taking three persons, an elephant from 
two to four, an antelope two, and an ostrich, if large, also two. 
The smaller animals, such as young lions, panthers, baboons, 
pigs or birds, are carried in cages roughly constructed on the 
spot; and these cages are placed on the backs of camels. 
Right in the midst of our procession there marches a group of 
camels harnessed in pairs. Over the pack-saddles of each 
pair are laid two stout poles, and from these poles, between 
the two animals, hangs a large cage, made of strong rods 
bound together with strips of hide. Each cage contains a 
young hippopotamus, who, in spite of his youth, weighs with 
his cage well over.a quarter of a ton. Each of these dis- 
tinguished travellers requires a large party to wait upon him ; 
for, in addition to the two camels which convey him along, 
six or eight others are required for carrying the water which 
he demands continuously throughout the journey, as also 
for the bath— made of tanned ox-hide—which he enjoys 
every day during the long halt. Hundreds of head of 
sheep and goats are driven along with the procession ; the 
nanny-goats providing a constant supply of milk for the 
young animals, and the remainder being used as food for 
the carnivores. 
The speed of the caravan, being the speed of the slow- 
