Outfit. 13
Summary.-To know the minimum weight for which a proposed expedition must find means of transport, the omitted figures must be supplied in the following schedule, the others must be corrected where required, and the whole must be added together.
Stores for general use:
Various small stores Various heavy stores Stationery Mapping
Natural History (occasional)..
lbs. 95
30 31 30
Stores for Individual use:
For each white man.. .. • . ..
„ (at rate of 7 lbs. per month) 11 For each black man..
11 11 (at rate of 3 lbs. per month) ..
Presents and articles of payment are usually of far greater weight the above things put together.
Total weight to be carried by the expedition.. . .
Mem.-If meat and bread, and the like, have to be carried, a very large addition of weight must be made to this list, for the weight of a daily ration varies from 3 lbs., or even 4 lbs., to 2 lbs., according to the concentration of nutriment in the food that is used. Slaughter animals carry themselves; but the cattle-watchers swell the list of those who have to be fed.
66
than all
30
Means of Transport.-In order to transport the articles belonging to an expedition across a wild and unknown country, we may estimate as follows:
|
Beasts of burthen :- |
|
lbs. |
|
An ass will not usually carry more than about (net weight) |
65 |
|
A small mule .. |
90 |
|
A horse .. |
|
100 |
|
An ox of an average breed .. |
|
120 |
|
A camel (which rarely can be used by an explorer) |
.. |
300 |
It is very inconvenient to take more than six pack-animals in a caravan that has to pass over broken country, for so much time is lost by the whole party in re-adjusting the packs of each member of it, whenever one gets loose, that its progress is seriously retarded.
Carriages.-An animal-camels always excepted-draws upon wheels in a wild country about two and a half times the weight he can carry.
