Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/198

 become unfit for work. The Mongols wash the wounds with brine or the like, and sometimes let their dogs lick them. In summer when flies lay their eggs in the sore, the healing process becomes very tedious.

Before the departure of the caravan in autumn the camels which have been at grass all summer, and have put on too much flesh, are prepared for work by being fastened by their halters to a long rope stretched along the ground and secured at the ends to two poles driven firmly into the ground. In this way they are kept standing without any food for ten days, or even more, only receiving a little water every third or fourth day: this hardens them and takes down their spare flesh.

The average load of a camel is about 4 cwts., or four chests of tea each weighing 1 cwt. Entire camels (buruni) can bear 5 cwts., and have to carry an additional fifth chest; but they are not numerous, and are mostly reserved for the stud, as they are less tractable, and therefore not so serviceable for transport, as either geldings or mares.

The size of the load is not less important than its weight. A large unwieldy pack offers too much resistance to the wind and retards the progress of the animal; while, on the other hand, a small heavy one injures its back, the pressure being too great in one part of the saddle; thus more than 2¼ cwts. of silver