MERAWI IN 1897 story, and viewed with surprise the economy which was practised in all departments.

One of the things which astonished them greatly was the care of the Sirdar for his camels. Before the completion of the Haifa-Abu Hamed Railway all supplies sent from Merawi to Abu Hamed had to be carried south on camels, and every camel had a full load. The road along the east bank of the Fourth Cataract is a peculiarly difficult one, and the greater portion of the distance—one hundred and forty miles—is over low, stone hills, and much climbing has to be done. During the journey ropes broke and caused the loads to slip, and the result was that large numbers of camels had their backs and sides rubbed into sores. Whatever happened, caravans were obliged to go on, and they did go on, but when the camels returned to Merawi many of them were in a sorry state. In this condition they were handed over to Captain G. B. Griffith, who knew everything which a man could know about camels, and who had established a sort of open-air hospital for them behind the camp.

Here were seen camels suffering from every kind of camel ailment, but Captain Griffith's surgery, and pads, and lotions, coupled witii rest and food, quickly set many of them on their legs, and they were soon carrying loads as before. Arab poets never tire of describing the bond of love and friendship which exists between the dweller in the desert and his camel, but the cases in which this bond affects his treatment of the camel are usually very few. Many of the natives overloaded their camels shamefully, and when it entered their heads, as it sometimes did, that they had put on the poor beast more than he could carry, they would unload him, and pull off the padded saddle which protected his sides by way of reducing his load When they had reloaded him and hung about him loose articles which would bang against some portion of his body every step he took, and which were calculated to irritate the most patient of beasts, one of their number would jump on the top of the load, and the animal was allowed to scramble on his legs and stagger on his way. The camel will endure a great deal of ill-treatment so long as he is allowed to travel at his own pace, and to meditate at intervals, but if he be hurried he becomes distressed, and he will 197