28 
THROUGH SOMALILAND AND ABYSSINIA ch. n 
camp at night one has often to pass among them as they kneel 
in rows, sometimes stepping over them, or stooping under their 
outstretched necks, but I have never had experience of a vicious 
camel in Somaliland. Even when undergoing firing operations 
they rarely bite, although the head is left free. This ac- 
commodating disposition I attribute greatly to the manner in 
which they are treated by the natives, who, though rather 
cruel to their ponies, never ill-use a camel. Many SomMis 
are utterly ignorant of loading, this work being done largely by 
the women. When a camel is intractable it is generally through 
ignorant handling. The Somalis talk and sing to their animals 
when loading and unloading, and wdiistle while they are drinking, 
some of the songs used upon such occasions being very ancient. 
During loading the camels are made to kneel, and the head-rope 
is passed round the knees and made fast there. 
When marching with loads they need to be watered every 
fifth day, though upon emergency we have often worked them for 
ten days without distress. While on the march they are tied 
head to tail, as in Northern India. In rocky places, where the 
caravan animals are liable to stumbles and sudden stops, the 
tail is sometimes torn off. 
The usual load is not less than about two hundred and 
seventy-five pounds, exclusive of mats, but it varies according to 
the nature of the load. Dates are bad to carry, being compact 
and heavy in proportion to their size, and the date load is 
generally two gosra, or two hundred and fifty pounds. European 
baggage comes under the same category. The marching hours 
are from about 4 a.m. to 9 a.m., and from 1 to 5 p.m. The 
camels are allowed to graze during the mid-day heat, and 
for half an hour before sunset. It takes three-quarters of an 
hour to load up, from the time of rounding in the grazing 
camels to the start -off, and unloading takes about fifteen 
minutes. In stating these particulars I am giving our own 
average with complicated boxes, tents, loads of trophies, and so 
forth, a Som&li caravan probably taking less time. The usual 
rate of marching is from two and a quarter to two and three- 
quarter miles an hour, not counting short halts to adjust loads. 
The fastest rate, for a short distance, wdiich I have tested has 
been three and a quarter miles an hour. The loaded SomMi 
camel will not trot as a rule, though sometimes the Midgdns 
train them to do so, leading them by a string. 
Camels are delicate, and I have considered myself lucky 
