CHAP. IV.] 
ADVANTAGES OF DONKEYS. 
149 
banks; but every camel fell, and tlie loads bad to be 
carried up the opposite bank by the men, and the 
camels to be re-loaded on arrival. Here again the 
donkeys had the advantage, as without being unloaded 
they were assisted up the steep ascent by two men in 
front pulling at their ears, while others pushed behind. 
Altogether, the donkeys were far more suitable for the 
country, as they were more easily loaded. I had ar¬ 
ranged their packs and saddles so well, that they 
carried their loads with the greatest comfort. Each 
animal had an immense pad well stuffed with goats’ 
hair; this reached from the shoulder to the hip-bones ; 
upon this rested a simple form of saddle made of two 
forks of boughs inverted, and fastened together with 
rails—there were no nails in these saddles, all the 
fastenings being secured with thongs of raw hide. 
The great pad, projecting far both in front, behind, and 
also below the side of the saddle, prevented the loads 
from chafing the animal. Every donkey carried two 
large bags made of the hides of antelopes that I had 
formerly shot on the frontier of Abyssinia, and these 
were arranged with taggles on the one to fit into loops 
on the other, so that the loading and unloading was 
exceedingly simple. The success of an expedition de¬ 
pends mainly upon the perfection of the details, and 
where animals are employed for transport, the first 
