On one trip I took an Arab pony from India for three and a half months. He did excellently, and was faster and up to more weight than Somáli ponies. But he, of course, required grain and a much larger allowance of water than a Somáli pony. I think we carried for him five gallons per diem. If an Arab riding camel be imported from Aden, it must be remembered that it is ordinarily accustomed to drink at least once a day, and in the Haud must be given four gallons every second day.
As regards transport of water, a full load for a camel is two 12-gallon casks; a gallon of water weighs 10 lbs., and there is the weight of the casks to take into account.
In order to calculate the number of baggage camels and camelmen required, we shall have to add up the number of camel-loads coming under the following headings:—
| Camel-loads. | |
|---|---|
| Rations for 9 natives for 56 days (with percentage added) | 4½ |
| Rations, 56 days, 1 European | 2 |
| Private baggage of European | 3 |
| Spare ammunition for European and for 9 of the escort | 1 |
| Cloth and extras | 1 |
| Water for 1 European and 9 natives for 7 days (assuming no animals but Somáli camels are taken across the Haud) | 3½ |
| Total | 15 |
The rations for 56 days for one camelman (with percentage added) will be 66 lbs. rice, 38 lbs. dates, 10 lbs. ghee; add his spare ammunition 5 lbs., and water for 7 days 70 lbs., and we get a total of 189 lbs., or about ⁸/₁₁ of a camel-load.
By a calculation similar to that employed in Example I., we shall find that the number of camels required will be 24, and the number of baggage camelmen, 12.
The composition of our caravan will therefore be as follows:—
1 European. 1 headman. 5 personal servants.
(3 temporary jungle servants engaged from day to day will be allowed for in the pay, ration, and water estimate, though they will not start with the caravan.)