62 GALTON ON THE EXPLORATION OF ARID COUNTRIES. [Dec. 14, 1857- 
Number of Rations that can be carried . — The following Table (1) 
affords, I believe, as fair an approximation as the nature of the case 
admits of, to the weight of rations consumed by men and cattle in an 
arid climate, and to the weights they are severally able to transport 
across a broken and a pathless country. It must be recollected that 
the weight carried is a diminishing one : — 
Table 1. 
Full Rations. 
Shorter Allowance. 
Net Weight Transportable. 
Water* 
Food. 
Water. | 
Food. 
On Wheels. 
On Back. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
lbs. I 
lbs. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
Horse or mule . . 
45 
20 
30 
20 
250—350 
130—180 
Ox 
60 
20 
40 
20 
250—350 
110—150 
Man 
10 
3 
| 
.. | .. 
15—25 
Table 2 is deduced from Table 1. It shows how many days’ 
rations can be transported under various circumstances. H stands 
for one horse ; M for one man : thus the first line signifies that a 
horse can transport on wheels 3J days* rations of food as well as of 
water for himself and one man ; the joint weight of these rations 
being 273 lbs. : — 
Table 2. 
Number 
of Day- 
Rations. 
Food and Water 
for Horse and Man. 
Number 
of Day 
Rations. 
Water for Horse, 
Food and Water 
for Man. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
Horse 
On wheelsj 
H + m = 273 
51 
H + m = 318 
Full rations. 
3* 
H + 2 m s= 266 
51 
H + m = 236 
Short rations. 
or 
Mule. 
On back -J 
1* 
H + 2m = 137 
3J 
H + =157 
Full rations. 
1* 
H + 4m = 141 
3i 
H + m = 144 
Short rations. 
Man, on back 
H 
M =20 
Full rations. 
The general result is that a man can carry 1 J day’s rations, and 
that a horse can transport, according to circumstances, 1 J-, 3J, or 5J 
days’ rations for himself, and for one man at least. 
It is necessary to determine how many meals shall be allowed 
per day, in order that when a “ section” of the supporting party 
turn back, they may do so after one of their regular meals ; for it 
would be absurd to require that they should turn back at the end 
of some quaint fractional part of a day’s journey after they had 
been supposed to have eaten a corresponding fraction of a day’s 
* A large backet, full to the brim, holds 3 imperial gallons, or 30 lbs. weight 
of water. My full rations for a horse are two large buckets a day, each of them 
as nearly full of water as those given to horses usually are. 
