XXVII 
CONCLUSION 
369 
marching may be observed, but an extra two 
hours’ march may be added from 4 till 6. This 
will add 4^ miles, making 2i\ during the day. 
During the hottest time of the year I generally 
managed in this manner between the Nile and 
the Red Sea, but the desert being good, we made 
better speed, doing 2\ instead of 2\ per hour. 
It must be remembered that the camel, if 
a real desert animal , will march in the hottest 
season three days without requiring water. 
During the kharif, or winter, it will march six or 
seven days without drinking. The camels must 
be taken to the water when they are loaded 
ready for the start. This tightens the girth-ropes, 
which should be arranged to allow for the 
expansion. 
I have put in italics the “real desert animal,” 
as much depends upon the breed and habits of 
the camel. There are enormous camels in 
Alexandria and Cairo that will carry 700 or 800 lbs., 
but they would be utterly useless in the desert. 
These animals are fed upon “burseem,” a species 
of clover which is cut green; they also drink 
daily during the hot season, and upon alternate 
days during the cold weather. 
If these camels were introduced into the deserts 
of Nubia, they would be more akin to horses than 
to camels, as they would require the same 
attention to provender and water. 
The Bishareen camel is much esteemed as a 
hardy beast, although it is not powerful in 
VOL. 11 
2 B 
