1839.] Camel draught to Carriages. 597 



To take charge of the Camels I allow one Nazir, or general super- 

 intendent, at p. 300 a month ; 3 mukuddems at p. 100 each ; and 60 

 Camel men at p. 60 — making an annual outlay in wages, of p. 50,400, 

 to which must be added two men to mend the saddles, &c, at p. 70, or 

 for the year, p. 1,680. 



Summary. 



paras, 



Cost of 3,750 ardebs of beans, at p. 80, 300,000 



Do. Tibne, 60,000 



Do. 200 feddens of Berseem, at p. 400, 80,000 



10 JRafeeahs, (guards) at p. 100, 1,000 



1 Nazir, at p. 300 a month, 3,600 



3 Makuddems, at p. 100 do 3,600 



60 Camel men, at p. 60 do 43,200 



Veterinary and incidental expenses, say, 4,600 



496,000 



Not to overwork the Camels, I should allow ten days for the journey 

 to Suez and back again, the animals being loaded each way, and carry- 

 ing a quarter of a ton each. In the three trips per month, they would 

 convey 250 tons of coal to Suez, and working only 300 days of the 

 year, would place at the depot there 2,500 tons, being available to 

 bring back a similar weight of goods from Suez. Calculating the car- 

 riage of the former at p. 132 the ton, the latter would be about 



r, 73 18 



The great advantage in an establishment of this kind would be the 

 regularity with which the coals might be transmitted to Suez; and 

 as the departure and arrival of the caravans would be entirely subject 

 to the Company's arrangements, all the packages landed from the 

 steamer at Suez, might be immediately brought across the desert, and 

 proceed without loss of time to their destination. 



Any one who has long resided in this country, and has had opportu- 

 nities of comparing the relative cost and utility of Horses and Camels ; 

 will have no hesitation in deciding in favor of the latter. The Camel is 

 a most hardy animal, carries its supply of water in its stomach and its 

 beans upon its back, browses on prickly shrubs no other animal can 

 touch, and does not ever require a shade or covering to its resting place. 

 These are qualities which even the English horse most certainly does 

 not possess, and if ever the communication between Cairo and Suez is 

 to be made by vans, it is the Camel and not the horse, or even the mule, 

 that must be harnessed to them. 



4 H 



