76 GALTON ON THE EXPLORATION OF ARID COUNTRIES. [Dec. 14, 1857. 
being discovered by the tribes who constantly infest the roads, so that the sup- 
plies may be destroyed or removed. In traversing deserts like those of Northern 
Africa, I think a traveller must always rely upon the provisions he takes with 
him. I have travelled through the desert with two horses, and I was obliged 
to take corn for them for sixty days. Water is found at the different wells, at 
four, five, and six days’ distance apart. Mr. Galton’s calculation with refer- 
ence to the quantity of water required by the horses is quite right, for I found, 
when water was not abundant, that a skinfull, from 40 to 50 lbs. weight, was 
sufficient for each horse. There was very little herbage, and 1 gave each 
animal about 10 lbs. weight of corn per day, and they went on very well with 
that supply. 
Mr. Atkinson, f.r.G.s. — The mode in which I travelled over the steppes of 
Central Asia is very different from what Mr. Galton has described. In most parts 
of these regions (except in the Gobi) we can find water by digging into the sand, 
from 5 to 7 feet deep. The water is very brackish, still the horses will drink 
it, and tea can be made with it — it is not an agreeable beverage — necessity 
alone makes a man drink it. We had a mode of travelling much more rapid 
when crossing the arid plains than that suggested by Mr. Galton. To travel 
with wheeled carriages is absolutely impossible. We travelled on horseback, 
each individual of the party taking three horses and 3 or 4 lbs. of prosei, a 
species of millet, in a small bag slung to his saddle-bow. This and a glass of 
tea or water make a meal : in this way about 300 versts can be traversed in 
twenty-four hours. On our journey we frequently endured great privation 
from want of food, and in many instances we suffered from want of good 
water, as the tea made with water from the well was often exceedingly 
nauseous and unwholesome. 
Count Strzelecki, f.r.g.s. — I can bear testimony to the value of Mr. Gal- 
ton’s suggestions with regard to the deserts already ascertained. There are 
parts of North America, where the United States Government is now engaged 
in an expedition against the Mormons at Salt Lake, a district separated from 
civilisation by a belt of desert, similar to a desert in Africa, where relief parties 
pursuing the system suggested by Mr. Galton would be of the greatest possible 
value. There are deserts in South America that I have visited to which the 
system would be perfectly applicable ; as also the two routes of desert in 
Australia, one in the northern and the other in the southern region — where it is 
well known that beyond a certain distance you cannot penetrate without taking 
supplies for both men and beasts. But in passing through a terra incognita 
to a given point on the chart — when yon know nothing beyond the horizon you 
see — it is almost impossible to apply a system or devise means which may 
insure you against the want of water and provisions. To advance boldly with 
supplies calculated approximatively upon the time requisite to accomplish your 
section of exploration is all that you can do. During five years of my surveys 
in Australia, it was my lot oil one occasion to travel through a country un- 
trodden by white men. The party consisted of seven men and six pack-horses, 
carrying our supplies of flour, tea, and bacon, sufficient for five months, the 
maximum of time calculated as necessary for the accomplishment of the self- 
imposed task. Notwithstanding the unexpected ranges of mountains and 
rivers which we met on our way, and which retarded our progress, we were 
actually within 35 miles of our destination, when our journey was suddenly 
arrested, not by want of provision or water, but by a belt of impracticable 
brushwood, which forced us to abandon the pack-horses and collections, and cut 
our way through at a rate of 1\ mile a day the best we could. In such 
explorations there is no system which can extricate you, except common 
prudence, determination, and extremely vigorous constitutions. I believe that 
the expedition of the United States Government failed for want of a proper 
system of conveying the troops through the desert, which is not perhaps very 
