MARCHING AT HOME AND ABROAD. 573 
possible at times to move with H.P. tents, as they become from the 
moisture too heavy to carry. 
The transport for troops varies much in different parts of the country Transport. 
and in different stations. At large stations you may get all mule carts, 
pack-mules, or camels or elephants ; it depends much on the district ; 
at smaller stations where there is no commissariat depdt, the transport 
will consist principally of country carts and camels hired for the march 
only. In all cases some of the transport will probably be hired carts. 
Mule carts and pack-mules are the best of all transport, they can if 
well looked after travel almost as fast as the troops, they are easy to 
load and unload, mules are also very hardy. Camels are slow, they 
cannot travel in wet and are disagreeable brutes, and none too nice or 
easy to load. Hiephants are also lumbersome, delicate and slow, and 
country carts, though easy to pack and requiring but little looking 
after, cannot travel at more than 2} miles an hour; most regiments 
and batteries up country keep up a certain mule cart transport of their 
own, enough for line gear and kit at any rate, if not for the tents. 
An indent must be made out for the authorised transport, and sent 
three weeks before the march to the Chief Commissariat Officer to 
check, as well as that for any private carts required (unless the C.O. 
prefers to get his private carts direct through the collector and civil 
authorities). Half the rate is generally paid in advance for private 
carriage, and. when carts are once taken over, strict watch must be 
kept over the cart men, or they may bolt, for many are impressed and 
don’t care for the job ; a number of private carts are always wanted 
for officers, canteen stores, sergeants’ mess, coffee shop, master-tailor, 
syces, native followers, etc., etc. 
The transport will be collected by the commissariat authorities, and 
handed over the day before the regiment or battery moves; the trans- 
port officer (in a battery the captain) should take it over, and with the 
Q.-M.-S. detail it all to the different units, giving the subalterns and 
sergeants an exact list of the transport apportioned to their commands, 
with instructions as to how everything is to be carried. A senior 
N.-C.O. should look after all commissariat transport, the regimental 
transport of a battery has an N.-C.O. already in charge, and that of a 
regiment an officer. A guard should be detailed daily, in a battery of 
from 5 to 6 men, to accompany the baggage on the road. 
The best and quickest means of transport, such as mule carts and 
pack-mules (if the transport supplied is mixed, as is generally the 
case), should be taken for the line gear, the men’s kits, cook’s traps, 
and things that are first required on arrival. When marching with 
other corps it 1s wise to have a distinctive mark or colour for your 
own regiment’s or battery’s baggage, some regiments have small flags 
on the carts etc., but coloured puggaries for the native drivers answer 
better as they do not so easily get lost, and they have the additional 
charm of pleasing the natives hugely, especially if made of a good 
striking colour. The tent bags should all be labelled with the number 
of the section or sub-division, painted on large leather labels securely 
sewn on; and the mule carts or camels told off every day to do the 
same work and in the same place. 
