"There's a piece of string tied to the end of my rifle and wraps round the telescope here, the lamp-stand there and the end of the gun mounted on the camel, and if we're going at 5 mph in zero wind I can sometimes get my hat from the camel's head onto my own without moving from this comfortable chair. And what's more, if we go backwards at the same speed, I can put it back on the camel's head."