Page:Suakin, 1885.djvu/64

 Egyptian, some of which last were too small and too young to be of any use, and never ought to have been bought even at a push. Loading a camel is not so easy a thing as it sounds, and though it depends mainly on balance, it depends also greatly upon the position of the load, and the lashing of the load in the celita to the saddle; unless great care is taken, a sore back will ensue, and the camel be rendered useless for some considerable length of time.

Many people labour under the idea that a camel can and will, with comparative comfort to himself, go for a considerable length of time without water. That he can do so I do not wish for one moment to deny, but that he does so only with a corresponding loss of power was apparent to us all at Suakin.

General Gordon has stated that in his experience camels have lived without water for as long a period as nine days; there is, however, no doubt that when in hard work and hot weather camels should, whenever it is possible, be watered twice a day. Seven to eight gallons a day is a fair allowance for them, but this may be greatly increased with advantage.

Many of our camels were driven with the ordinary nose-rope and nose-peg, but I think