140 Mr. Rennell on the Rate oj 
ments. At all events, the error can be but (mail : and pofli- 
bly, all circumflances taken Into the cafe (and particularly 
this remarkable one, that of three perfons who attempted to 
afcertain the rate, by counting and meafuring the camel’s foot- 
fteps, none reckoned it higher than 2}, and one went fo low 
as 2?), I think the rate of two miles and an half per hour may 
be ufed, as differing but a lhade from the general refult; and 
as having the moft manageable fra&ion. 
Thus it appears to me, that the hourly rate of the camel 
may be applied as a very ufeful fcale to the African geography ; 
whenfoever the ufe of watches fhall be adopted by the native 
travellers employed by the African association * ; and with 
ftill greater advantage, of courfe, if Europeans are employed. 
And if Mr. Carmichael could defcribe the general bearing, 
on a line of more than 700 Britifh miles, fo nearly as within 
6 or 7 degrees of the truth ; and that with a pocket compafs ; 
nothing more need be faid concerning the advantages that may 
be derived from the ufe of that valuable inftrument, aided by 
fuch a fcale as I have been defcribing. 
The mean length of the day’s journey of the camel, varies 
according to the degree in which it is loaded : and in this parti- 
cular it is that the flate of the camel, as to its burthen, ope- 
rates on its progrefs. It is neceffary to obferve, that whatfo- 
ever remarks I may offer, on the fubjedf of the camel s day s 
journey, are meant to be applied only to the mean rate on jour- 
nies of confrderable length ; fince any other kind of experiment 
would be of no ufe in geography : 1 fhall therefore confider only 
the progrefs of the light and heavy caravans, in which 
^ In the Memoirs of Abdul Kurrim, a Caihmerian of diftin&ion,, he informs 
ns, that he kept an account of the time, on the road between Bagdad and Mecca > 
hy means of an European watch, in the year 174°* 
the 
