Camels and horses fording rivers on inflated skin-floats
Egyptian and Arab water-skins for camels; Assyrian air-sacks that carry several men across
The sheet collects ancient devices for making animals cross rivers. The Egyptians, Ethiopians and Arabs fasten two water-skins to the flanks of a camel in crossing the Nile, and baggage-camels set their feet into a four-meshed net, illustrated by a small float labelled 'baga' and a row of swimming animals with riders. A further note describes the Assyrians and the people of Euboea equipping their horses with inflatable air-sacks in place of a saddle-pad, armoured above with boiled-leather plates against arrows; such a horse could carry four or five men at need.
On this page
Camels crossing the Nile with side water-skins
The Egyptians, Ethiopians and Arabs, in crossing the Nile, fasten two skin-floats (water-skins) to the sides of a camel's body, in the form drawn below.
Net and skin-float for baggage-camels
A small float is drawn and labelled 'baga'. The note explains that baggage-camels set their feet into the four meshes of a net attached to it.
Swimming camels and a mounted crossing
A horizontal band of animals with riders is drawn crossing on floats, and below, a cluster of men and horses fords a river before low hills. The captions title these as figures of swimming camels and of men and horses crossing a river.
Inflatable air-sacks in place of a saddle (a, b)
The Assyrians and the people of Euboea have their horses carry sacks that can be filled with air at will, worn instead of the saddle-pad, covered above and at the sides with boiled-leather plates so arrows cannot pierce them. A horse so equipped carries four or five men at need.