TRAVELLER S THIRST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1005, 10 February 1912, Page 4

TRAVELLER S THIRST.

“ CONSUME SIXTEEN PINTS OF WATER DAILY.

In the course ot an interesting paper on “ Northern American Deserts,” read to the members of the Royal Geographical Society, Professor D. T. Macdougal, director of the Department of Botanical Research, Carnegie Institution ot Washington, said large mammals and birds were known which went for mouths without any water beyond that obtained by eating succulent cacti. Deer and peccary had been found in regions in which the nearest accessible water was 30 to 40 miles distant. Some ot the smaller rodents were known to be able to live on hard grains alone, which might contain not more than 10 or 15 per cent, of water. Man and the horse, Professor Macdougal continued, were among the animals least adapted to undergo the inevitable thirsts ot the desert. The traveller afoot might consume and need as much as 16 pints of water daily, and entire privation of water lor a period ol more than 24 hours was likely to be followed by the most serious consequences.

The use of such great quantities of the liquid gave special effect to dissolved salts, and the frequenter of the dessert might not use for any length oi time water containing more than oue-lourth of one per cent, of saline material, although he was frequently compelled to make shift with stronger solutions for brief periods. The horse might endure more concentrated solutions, but its needs were truly enormous, as 15 to 30 gallons per day was the average requirement. The smaller hall-wild horses ot the south-west might make long traverses, and go for a second or third day without drinking, but their endurance was far surpassed by that ot the Mexican donkey or burro. A serious effort was made to introduce the camel into American deserts about half a century ago, coincidentally with its being taken into Australia, where it had proved so useful. The attempt, however, was an inevitable failure.

The development ot the modern motor car, explained Professor Macdougal, had now made the camel unnecessary, as the horse and the donkey might be used to supplement the automobile for all the necessities of travel at the present lime.