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diff --git a/old/10878.txt b/old/10878.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..91784dd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10878.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3038 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mule, by Harvey Riley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mule + A Treatise On The Breeding, Training, + And Uses To Which He May Be Put + +Author: Harvey Riley + +Release Date: January 30, 2004 [EBook #10878] +[Last updated: October 24, 2020] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MULE *** + + + + +Produced by Judith B. Glad and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + +THE MULE + +A TREATISE ON THE BREEDING, TRAINING, AND USES TO WHICH HE MAY BE PUT. + + +BY HARVEY RILEY, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT CORRAL, WASHINGTON +D.C. + + +1867. + + + + +PREFACE. + +There is no more useful or willing animal than the Mule. And perhaps +there is no other animal so much abused, or so little cared for. Popular +opinion of his nature has not been favorable; and he has had to plod and +work through life against the prejudices of the ignorant. Still, he has +been the great friend of man, in war and in peace serving him well and +faithfully. If he could tell man what he most needed it would be kind +treatment. We all know how much can be done to improve the condition and +advance the comfort of this animal; and he is a true friend of humanity +who does what he can for his benefit. My object in writing this book was +to do what I could toward working out a much needed reform in the +breeding, care, and treatment of these animals. Let me ask that what I +have said in regard to the value of kind treatment be carefully read and +followed. I have had thirty years' experience in the use of this animal, +and during that time have made his nature a study. The result of that +study is, that humanity as well as economy will be best served by +kindness. + +It has indeed seemed to me that the Government might make a great saving +every year by employing only such teamsters and wagon-masters as had +been thoroughly instructed in the treatment and management of animals, +and were in every way qualified to perform their duties properly. +Indeed, it would seem only reasonable not to trust a man with a valuable +team of animals, or perhaps a train, until he had been thoroughly +instructed in their use, and had received a certificate of capacity from +the Quartermaster's Department. If this were done, it would go far to +establish a system that would check that great destruction of animal +life which costs the Government so heavy a sum every year. + +H.R. + +WASHINGTON, D.C., _April 12, 1867_. + + + +NOTE. + +I have, in another part of this work, spoken of the mule as being free +from splint. Perhaps I should have said that I had never seen one that +had it, notwithstanding the number I have had to do with. There are, I +know, persons who assert that they have seen mules that had it. I ought +to mention here, also, by way of correction, that there is another +ailment the mule does not have in common with the horse, and that is +quarter-crack. The same cause that keeps them from having quarter-crack +preserves them from splint--the want of front action. + +A great many persons insist that a mule has no marrow in the bones of +his legs. This is a very singular error. The bone of the mule's leg has +a cavity, and is as well filled with marrow as the horse's. It also +varies in just the same proportion as in the horse's leg. The feet of +some mules, however, will crack and split, but in most cases it is the +result of bad shoeing. It at times occurs from a lack of moisture to the +foot; and is seen among mules used in cities, where there are no +facilities for driving them into running water every day, to soften the +feet and keep them moist. + + + +CONTENTS. + + Best Method of Breaking + Value of Kind Treatment + How to Harness + Injured by Working too Young + What the Mule can Endure + Color and Peculiar Habits + Mexican Mules, and Packing + The Agricultural Committee + Working Condition of Mules + Spotted Mules + Mule-Breeding and Raising + How Colts should be Handled + Packing Mules + Physical Constitution + Value of Harnessing Properly + Government Wagons + More about Breeding Mules + Ancient History of the Mule + Table of Statistics + 14 Portraits of Celebrated Mules + Diseases Common to the Mule, and how they should be treated + + + +CHAPTER I. +HOW MULES SHOULD BE TREATED IN BREAKING. + +I have long had it in contemplation to write something concerning the +mule, in the hope that it might be of benefit to those who had to deal +with him, as well in as out of the army, and make them better acquainted +with his habits and usefulness. The patient, plodding mule is indeed an +animal that has served us well in the army, and done a great amount of +good for humanity during the late war. He was in truth a necessity to +the army and the Government, and performed a most important part in +supplying our army in the field. That he will perform an equally +important part in the future movements of our army is equally clear, and +should not be lost sight of by the Government. It has seemed to me +somewhat strange, then, that so little should have been written +concerning him, and so little pains taken to improve his quality. I have +noticed in the army that those who had most to do with him were the +least acquainted with his habits, and took the least pains to study his +disposition, or to ascertain by proper means how he could be made the +most useful. The Government might have saved hundreds of thousands of +dollars, if, when the war began, there had been a proper understanding +of this animal among its employees. + +Probably no animal has been the subject of more cruel and brutal +treatment than the mule, and it is safe to say that no animal ever +performed his part better, not even the horse. In breaking the mule, +most persons are apt to get out of patience with him. I have got out of +patience with him myself. But patience is the great essential in +breaking, and in the use of it you will find that you get along much +better. The mule is an unnatural animal, and hence more timid of man +than the horse; and yet he is tractable, and capable of being taught to +understand what you want him to do. And when he understands what you +want, and has gained your confidence, you will, if you treat him kindly, +have little trouble in making him perform his duty. + +In commencing to break the mule, take hold of him gently, and talk to +him kindly. Don't spring at him, as if he were a tiger you were in dread +of. Don't yell at him; don't jerk him; don't strike him with a club, as +is too often done; don't get excited at his jumping and kicking. +Approach and handle him the same as you would an animal already broken, +and through kindness you will, in less than a week, have your mule more +tractable, better broken, and kinder than you would in a month, had you +used the whip. Mules, with very few exceptions, are born kickers. Breed +them as you will, the moment they are able to stand up, and you put your +hand on them, they will kick. It is, indeed, their natural means of +defence, and they resort to it through the force of instinct. In +commencing to break them, then, kicking is the first thing to guard +against and overcome. The young mule kicks because he is afraid of a +man. He has seen those intrusted with their care beat and abuse the +older ones, and he very naturally fears the same treatment as soon as a +man approaches him. Most persons intrusted with the care of these young +and green mules have not had experience enough with them to know that +this defect of kicking is soonest remedied by kind treatment. Careful +study of the animal's nature and long experience with the animal have +taught me that, in breaking the mule, whipping and harsh treatment +almost invariably make him a worse kicker. They certainly make him more +timid and afraid of you. And just as long as you fight a young mule and +keep him afraid of you, just so long will you be in danger of his +kicking you. You must convince him through kindness that you are not +going to hurt or punish him. And the sooner you do this, the sooner you +are out of danger from his feet. + +It may at times become necessary to correct the mule before he is +subdued; but before doing so he should be well bridle or halter-broken, +and also used to harness. He should also be made to know what you are +whipping him for. In harnessing up a mule that will kick or strike with +the forefeet, get a rope, or, as we term it in the army, a lariat. +Throw, or put the noose of this over his head, taking care at the same +time that it be done so that the noose does not choke him; then get the +mule on the near side of a wagon, put the end of the lariat through the +space between the spokes of the fore wheel, then pull the end through so +that you can walk back with it to the hinder wheel (taking care to keep +it tight), then pass it through the same, and pull the mule close to the +wagon. In this position you can bridle and harness him without fear of +being crippled. In putting the rope through the above places, it should +be put through the wheels, so as to bring it as high as the mule's +breast in front, and flanks in the rear. In making them fast in this +way, they frequently kick until they get over the rope, or lariat; hence +the necessity of keeping it as high up as possible. If you chance upon a +mule so wild that you cannot handle him in this way, put a noose of the +lariat in the mule's mouth, and let the eye, or the part where you put +the end of the lariat through, be so as to form another noose. Set this +directly at the root of the mule's ear, pull it tight on him, taking +care to keep the noose in the same place. But when you get it pulled +tight enough, let some one hold the end of the lariat, and, my word for +it, you will bridle the mule without much further trouble. + +In hitching the mule to a wagon, if he be wild or vicious, keep the +lariat the same as I have described until you get him hitched up, then +slack it gently, as nearly all mules will buck or jump stiff-legged as +soon as you ease up the lariat; and be careful not to pull the rope too +tight when first put on, as by so doing you might split the mule's +mouth. Let me say here that I have broken thousands of four and six-mule +teams that not one of the animals had ever had a strap of harness on +when I began with them, and I have driven six-mule teams for years on +the frontier, but I have yet to see the first team of unbroken mules +that could be driven with any degree of certainty. I do not mean to say +that they cannot be got along the road; but I regard it no driving +worthy of the name when a driver cannot get his team to any place where +he may desire to go in a reasonable time--and this he cannot do with +unbroken mules. With green or unbroken mules, you must chase or herd +them along without the whip, until you get them to know that you want +them to pull in a wagon. When you have got them in a wagon, pull their +heads round in the direction you want them to go; then convince them by +your kindness that you are not going to abuse them, and in twelve days' +careful handling you will be able to drive them any way you please. + +In bridling the young mule, it is necessary to have a bit that will not +injure the animal's mouth. Hundreds of mules belonging to the Government +are, in a measure, ruined by using a bridle bit that is not much thicker +than the wire used by the telegraph. I do not mean by this that the +bridle bit used by the Government in its blind bridles is not well +adapted to the purpose. If properly made and properly used, it is. Nor +do I think any board of officers could have gotten up or devised a +better harness and wagon for army purposes than those made in conformity +with the decision of the board of officers that recommended the harness +and wagon now used. The trouble with a great many of the bits is, that +they are not made up to the regulations, and are too thin. And this bit, +when the animal's head is reined up too tight, as army teamsters are +very likely to do, is sure to work a sore mouth. + +There are few things in breaking the mule that should be so carefully +guarded against as this. For as soon as the animal gets a sore mouth, he +cannot eat well, and becomes fretful; then he cannot drink well, and as +his mouth keeps splitting up on the sides, he soon gets so that he +cannot keep water in it, and every swallow he attempts to take, the +water will spirt out of the sides, just above the bit. As soon as the +mule finds that he cannot drink without this trouble, he very naturally +pushes his nose into the water above where his mouth is split, and +drinks until the want of breath forces him to stop, although he has not +had sufficient water. The animal, of course, throws up its head, and the +stupid teamster, as a general thing, drives the mule away from the water +with his thirst about half satisfied. + +Mules with their mouths split in this way are not fit to be used in the +teams, and the sooner they are taken out and cured the better for the +army and the Government. I have frequently seen Government trains +detained several minutes, block the road, and throw the train into +disorder, in order to give a mule with a split mouth time to drink. In +making up teams for a train, I invariably leave out all mules whose +mouths are not in a sound state, and this I do without regard to the +kind or quality of the animal. But the mule's mouth can be saved from +the condition I have referred to, if the bit be made in a proper manner. + +The bit should be one inch and seven-eighths round, and five inches in +the draw, or between the rings. It should also have a sweep of one +quarter of an inch to the five inches long. I refer now to the bit for +the blind bridle. With a bit of this kind it is almost impossible to +injure the mule's mouth, unless he is very young, and it cannot be done +then if the animal is handled with proper care. + +There is another matter in regard to harnessing the mule which I deem +worthy of notice here. Government teamsters, as a general thing, like to +see a mule's head reined tightly up. I confess that, with all my +experience, I have never seen the benefit there was to be derived from +this. I always found that the mule worked better when allowed to carry +his head and neck in a natural position. When not reined up at all, he +will do more work, out-pull, and wear out the one that is. At present, +nearly all the Government mule-teams are reined up, and worked with a +single rein. This is the old Virginia way of driving mules. It used to +be said that any negro knew enough to drive mules. I fear the Government +has too long acted on that idea. + +I never heard but one reason given for reining the heads of a mule-team +up tight, and that was, that it made the animals look better. + +The next thing requiring particular attention is the harnessing. During +the war it became customary to cut the drawing-chains, or, as some call +them, the trace-chains. The object of this was, to bring the mule close +up to his work. The theory was taken from the strings of horses used in +drawing railroad cars through cities. Horses that are used for hauling +cars in this manner are generally fed morning, noon, and night; and are +able to get out of the way of a swingle-tree, should it be let down so +low as to work on the brakes, as it did too frequently in the army. +Besides, the coupling of the car, or the part they attach the horse to, +is two-thirds the height of a common-sized animal, which, it will be +seen at a glance, is enough to keep the swingle-tree off his heels. Now, +the tongue of a Government wagon is a very different thing. In its +proper condition, it is about on an average height with the mule's +hocks; and, especially during the last two years of the war, it was +customary to pull the mule so close up to the swingle-tree that his +hocks would touch it. The result of hitching in this manner is, that the +mule is continually trying to keep out of the way of the swingle-tree, +and, finding that he cannot succeed, he becomes discouraged. And as soon +as he does this he will lag behind; and as he gets sore from this +continual banging, he will spread his hind legs and try to avoid the +blows; and, in doing this, he forgets his business and becomes +irritable. This excites the teamster, and, in ninety-nine cases out of a +hundred, he will beat and punish the animal cruelly, expecting thereby +to cure him of the trouble. But, instead of pacifying the mule, he will +only make him worse, which should, under no circumstances, be done. The +proper course to pursue, and I say so from long experience, is to stop +the team at once, and let all the traces out to a length that will allow +the swingle-tree to swing half way between the hock and the heel of the +hoof. In other words, give him room enough to step, between the collar +and swingle-tree, so that the swingle-tree cannot touch his legs when +walking at his longest stride. If the above rule be followed, the animal +will not be apt to touch the swingle-tree. Indeed, it will not be apt to +touch him, unless he be lazy; and, in that case, the sooner you get +another mule the better. I say this because one lazy mule will spoil a +good team, invariably. A lazy mule will be kept up to his work with a +whip, you will say; but, in whipping a lazy animal, you keep the others +in such a state of excitement that they are certain to get poor and +valueless. + +There is another advantage in having the drawing-chains worked at the +length I have described. It is this: The officers that formed the board +that recommended the drawing-chain, also recommended a number of large +links on one end of the chain, so that it could be made longer or +shorter, as desired. If made in conformity with the recommendation of +that board of officers, it can be let out so as to fit the largest sized +mule, and can be taken up to fit the shortest. When I say this, I mean +to include such animals as are received according to the standard of the +Quartermaster-General's department. + + + +CHAPTER II. THE DISADVANTAGES OF WORKING MULES THAT ARE TOO YOUNG. + + +A great many of the mules purchased by the Government during the war +were entirely too young for use. This was particularly so in the West, +where both contractor and inspector seemed anxious only to get the +greatest number they could on the hands of the Government, without +respect to age or quality. I have harnessed, or rather tried to harness, +mules during the war, that were so young and small that you could not +get collars small enough to fit them. As to the harness, they were +almost buried in it. A great many of these small mules were but two +years old. These animals were of no use to the Government for a long +time. Indeed, the inspector might just as well have given his +certificate for a lot of milk cows, so far as they added to our force of +transportation. Another source of trouble has been caused through a +mistaken opinion as to what a young mule could do, and how he ought to +be fed. Employers and others, who had young mules under their charge +during the war, had, as a general thing, surplus forage on hand. When +they were in a place where nine pounds of grain could be procured, and +fourteen of hay, the full allowance was purchased. The surplus resulting +from this attracted notice, and many wondered why it was that the +Government did not reduce the forage on the mule. These persons did not +for a moment suspect, or imagine, that a three year old mule has so many +loose teeth in his mouth as to be hardly able to crack a grain of corn, +or masticate his oats. + +Another point in that case is this: at three years old, a mule is in a +worse condition, generally, than he is at any other period in life. At +three, he is more subject to distemper, sore eyes, and inflammation of +all parts of the head and body. He becomes quite weak from not being +able to eat, gets loose and gaunt, and is at that time more subject and +more apt to take contagious diseases than at any other change he may go +through. There is but one sure way to remedy this evil. Do not buy three +year old mules to put to work that it requires a five or six year old +mule to perform. Six three year old mules are just about as fit to +travel fifteen miles per day, with an army wagon loaded with twenty-five +hundred and their forage, as a boy, six years of age, is fit to do a +man's work. During the first twelve months of the war, I had charge of +one hundred and six mule-teams, and I noticed in particular, that not +one solitary mule as high as six years old gave out on the trips that I +made with the teams. I also noticed that, on most occasions, the three +year olds gave out, or became so leg-weary that they could scarce walk +out of the way of the swingle-tree, whereas those of four and upward +would be bright and brisk, and able to eat their forage when they came +to camp. The three year old mules would lie down and not eat a bite, +through sheer exhaustion. I also noticed that nearly all the three year +old mules that went to Utah, in 1857, froze to death that winter, while +those whose ages varied from four, and up to ten, stood the winter and +came out in the spring in good working condition. In August, 1855, I +drove a six-mule team to Fort Riley, in Kansas Territory, from Fort +Leavenworth, on the Missouri River, loaded with twelve sacks of grain. +It took us thirteen days to make the trip. When we reached Fort Riley +there were not fifty mules, in the train of one hundred and fifty, that +would have sold at public sale for thirty dollars, and a great many gave +out on account of being too young and the want of proper treatment. In +the fall of 1860, I drove a six-mule team, loaded with thirty hundred +weight, twenty-five days' rations for myself and another man, and twelve +days' storage for the team, being allowed twelve pounds to each mule per +day. I drove this team to Fort Laramie, in Nebraska Territory, and from +there to Fort Leavenworth, on the Missouri River. I made the drive there +and back in thirty-eight days, and laid over two and a half days out of +that. The distance travelled was twelve hundred and thirty-six miles. +After a rest of two days, I started with the same team, and drove to +Fort Scott, in Kansas Territory, in five days, a distance of one hundred +and twenty miles. I went with Harney's command, and, for the most part +of the time, had no hay, and was forced to subsist our animals on dry +prairie grass, and had a poor supply of even that. Notwithstanding this, +I do not believe that any mule in the team lost as much as ten pounds of +flesh. Each of these mules, let me say, was upward of five years old. + +In 1858, I took a train of mules to Camp Floyd, in Utah, forty-eight +miles south of Salt Lake City; During the march there were days and +nights that I could not get a drop of water for the animals. The young +mules, three and four years old, gave out from sheer exhaustion; while +the older ones kept up, and had to draw the wagons along. Now, there are +many purposes to which a young mule may be put with advantage; but they +are altogether unfit for army purposes, and the sooner the Government +stops using them, the better. + +When they are purchased for army use, they are almost sure to be put +into a train, and turned over to the tender mercies of some teamster, +who knows nothing whatever about the character of the animal. And here +let me say that thousands of the best mules in the army, during the war, +were ruined and made useless to the Government on account of the +incompetency and ignorance of the wagon-masters and teamsters who had to +deal with them. Persons who own private teams and horses are generally +particular to know the character of the person who takes care of them, +and to ascertain that he knows his business. Is he a good driver? Is he +a good groom? Is he careful in feeding and watering? These are the +questions that are asked; and if he has not these qualities he will not +do. But a teamster in the army has none of these questions put to him. +No; he is intrusted with a valuable team, and expected to take proper +care of it when he has not the first qualification to do so. If he is +asked a question at all, it is merely if he has ever driven a team +before. If he answer in the affirmative, and there are any vacancies, he +is employed at once, though he may not know how to lead a mule by the +head properly. This is not alone the case with teamsters. I have known +wagon-masters who really did not know how to straighten out a six-mule +team, or, indeed, put the harness on them properly. And yet the +wagon-master has almost complete power over the train. It will be +readily seen from this, how much valuable property may be destroyed by +placing incompetent men in such places. Wagon-masters, it seems to me, +should not be allowed, under any circumstances, to have or take charge +of a train of animals of any kind until they are thoroughly competent to +handle, harness, and drive a six-animal team. + +There is another matter which needs essential improvement. I refer now +to the men who are placed as superintendents over our Government corrals +and depots for animals. Many of these men know little of either the +horse or the mule, and are almost entirely ignorant of what is necessary +for transportation. A superintendent should have a thorough knowledge of +the character and capacity of all kinds of animals necessary for a good +team. He should know at sight the age and weight of animals, should be +able to tell the most suitable place for different animals in a team, +and where each would be of the most service. He should know all parts of +his wagon and harness at a glance, be able to take each portion apart +and put them together again, each in its proper shape and place, and, +above all, he should have practical experience with all kinds of animals +that are used in the army. This is especially necessary during war. + + + +CHAPTER III. COLOR, CHARACTER, AND PECULIARITIES OF MULES. + + +After being in command of the upper corral, I was ordered, on the 7th of +September, 1864, to take charge of the Eastern Branch Wagon Park, +Washington. There were at that time in the park twenty-one six-mule +trains. Each train had one hundred and fifty mules and two horses +attached. There were times, however, when we had as many as forty-two +trains of six-mule teams, with thirty men attached to each train. In a +year from the above date we handled upward of seventy-four thousand +mules, each and every one passing under my inspection and through my +hands. + +In handling this large number of animals, I aimed to ascertain which was +the best, the hardest, and the most durable color for a mule. I did this +because great importance has been attached by many to the color of these +animals. Indeed, some of our officers have made it a distinguishing +feature. But color, I am satisfied, is no criterion to judge by. There +is an exception to this, perhaps, in the cream-colored mule. In most +cases, these cream-colored mules are apt to be soft, and they also lack +strength. This is particularly so with those that take after the mare, +and have manes and tails of the same color. Those that take after the +jack generally have black stripes round their legs, black manes and +tails, and black stripes down their backs and across their shoulders, +and are more hardy and better animals. I have frequently seen men, in +purchasing a lot of mules, select those of a certain color, fancying +that they were the hardiest, and yet the animals would be widely +different in their working qualities. You may take a black mule, black +mane, black hair in his ears, black at the flank, between the hips or +thighs, and black under the belly, and put him alongside of a similar +sized mule, marked as I have described above, say light, or what is +called mealy-colored, on each of the above-mentioned parts, put them in +the same condition and flesh, of similar age and soundness, and, in many +cases, the mule with the light-colored parts will wear the other out. + +It is very different with the white mule. He is generally soft, and can +stand but little hardship. I refer particularly to those that have a +white skin. Next to the white and cream, we have the iron-grey mule. +This color generally indicates a hardy mule. We have now twelve teams of +iron-gray mules in the park, which have been doing hard work every day +since July, 1865; it is now January, 1866. Only one of these mules has +become unfit for service, and that one was injured by being kicked by +his mate. All our other teams have had more or less animals made unfit +for service and exchanged. + +In speaking of the color of mules, it must not be inferred that there +are no mules that are all of a color that are not hardy and capable of +endurance. I have had some, whose color did not vary from head to foot, +that were capable of great endurance. But in most cases, if kept +steadily at work from the time they were three years old until they were +eight or ten, they generally gave out in some part, and became an +expense instead of profit. + +Various opinions are held as to what the mule can be made to do under +the saddle, many persons asserting that in crossing the plains he can be +made to perform almost equal to the horse. This is true on the prairie. +But there he works with every advantage over the horse. In 1858, I rode +a mule from Cedar Valley, forty-eight miles north of Salt Lake City, to +Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, a distance of nearly fourteen hundred miles. +Starting from Cedar Valley on the 22d of October, I reached Fort +Leavenworth on the 31st of December. At the end of the journey the +animal was completely worn down. + +In this condition I put her into Fleming's livery stable, in Leavenworth +City, and was asked if she was perfectly gentle. One would suppose that, +in such a condition, she would naturally be so. I assured the hostler +that she was; that I had ridden her nearly a year, and never knew her to +kick. That same morning, when the hostler went to feed her, she suddenly +became vicious, and kicked him very severely. She was then about twelve +years old. I have since thought that when a mule gets perfectly gentle +he is unfit for service. + +Proprietors of omnibuses, stage lines, and city railroads have, in many +cases, tried to work mules, as a matter of economy; but, as a general +thing, the experiment proved a failure, and they gave it up and returned +to horses. The great reason for this failure was, that the persons +placed in charge of them knew nothing of their disposition, and lacked +that experience in handling them which is so necessary to success. But +it must be admitted that, as a general thing, they are not well adapted +for road or city purposes, no matter how much you may understand driving +and handling them. + +The mule may be made to do good service on the prairies, in supplying +our army, in towing canal boats in hauling cars inside of coal mines-- +these are his proper places, where he can jog along and take his own +time, patiently. Work of this kind would, however, in nearly all cases, +break down the spirit of the horse, and render him useless in a very +short time. + +I have seen it asserted that there were mules that had been known to +trot in harness in three minutes. In all my experience, I have never +seen any thing of the kind, and do not believe the mule ever existed +that could do it. It is a remarkably good road horse that will do this, +and I have never yet seen a mule that could compare for speed with a +good roadster. I have driven mules, single and double, night and day, +from two to ten in a team, and have handled them in every way that it is +possible to handle them, and have in my charge at this time two hundred +of the best mule teams in the world, and there is not a span among them +that could be forced over the road in four minutes. It is true of the +mule that he will stand more abuse, more beating, more straining and +constant dogging at him than any other animal used in a team. But all +the work you can get out of him, over and above an ordinary day's work, +you have to work as hard as he does to accomplish. + +Some curious facts have come under my knowledge as to what the mule can +endure. These facts also illustrate what can be done with the animal by +persons thoroughly acquainted with his character. While on the plains, I +have known Kiowa and Camanche Indians to break into our pickets during +the night, and steal mules that had been pronounced completely broken +down by white men. And these mules they have ridden sixty and sixty-five +miles of a single night. How these Indians managed to do this, I never +could tell. I have repeatedly seen Mexicans mount mules that our men had +pronounced unfit for further service, and ride them twenty and +twenty-five miles without stopping. I do not mention this to show that a +Mexican can do more with the mule than an American. He cannot. And yet +there seems to be some sort of fellow-feeling between these Mexicans and +the mule. One seems to understand the other completely; and in +disposition there is very little difference. And yet the Mexican is so +brutish in dealing with animals, that I never allowed one of them to +drive a Government team for me. Indeed, a low Mexican does not seem +disposed to work for a man who will not allow him full latitude in the +abuse of animals. + +_Packing Mules_.--The Mexican is a better packer than the American. He +has had more experience, and understands all its details better than any +other man. Some of our United States officers have tried to improve on +the experience of the Greaser, and have made what they called an +improvement on the Mexican pack-saddle. But all the attempts at +improvement have been utter failures. The ranchero, on the Pacific side +of the Sierra Nevadas, is also a good packer; and he can beat the +Mexican lassoing cattle. But he is the only man in the United States who +can. The reason for this is, that they went into that country when very +young, and improved on the Mexican, by having cattle, mules, and horses +round them all the time, and being continually catching them for the +purpose of branding and marking. + +There is, in Old as well as New Mexico, a class of mules that are known +to us as Spanish, or Mexican mules. These mules are not large, but for +endurance they are very superior, and, in my opinion, cannot be +excelled. I am not saying too much when I assert, that I have seen +nothing in the United States that could compare with them. They can, +apparently, stand any amount of starvation and abuse. I have had three +Spanish mules in a train of twenty-five six-mule teams, and starting +from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on Colonel (since General) Sumner's +expedition, in 1857, have travelled to Walnut Creek, on the Santa Fe +route, a distance of three hundred miles, in nine days. And this in the +month of August. The usual effects of hard driving, I noticed, showed +but very little on them. I noticed also, along the march, that with a +halt of less than three hours, feeding on grass that was only tolerably +thick, they will fill up better and look in better condition for +resuming the march, than one of our American mules that had rested five +hours, and had the same forage. The breed, of course, has something to +do with this. But the animal is smaller, more compact than our mules, +and, of course, it takes less to fill him up. It stands to reason, that +a mule with a body half as large as a hogshead cannot satisfy his hunger +in the time it would take a small one. This is the secret of small mules +outlasting large ones on the prairies. It takes the large one so long to +find enough to eat, when the grass is scanty, that he has not time +enough for rest and recuperation. I often found them leaving camp, in +the morning, quite as hungry and discouraged as they were when we halted +the previous evening. With the small mule it is different. He gets +enough to eat, quick, and has time to rest and refresh himself. The +Spanish or Mexican mule, however, is better as a pack animal, than for a +team. They are vicious, hard to break, and two-thirds of them kick. + +In looking over a book, with the title of "Domestic Animals," I notice +that the author, Mr. R.L. Allen, has copied from the official report of +the Agricultural Committee of South Carolina, and asserts that a mule is +fit for service sooner than a horse. This is not true; and to prove that +it is not, I will give what I consider to be ample proof. In the first +place, a mule at three years old is just as much and even more of a colt +than a horse is. And he is as much out of condition, on account of +cutting teeth, distemper, and other colt ailments, as it is possible to +be. Get a three year old mule tired and fatigued, and in nine cases out +of ten he will get so discouraged that it will be next to impossible to +get him home or into camp. A horse colt, if able to travel at all, will +work his way home cheerfully; but the young mule will sulk, and in many +instances will not move an inch while life lasts. An honest horse will +try to help himself, and do all he can for you, especially if you treat +him kindly. The mule colt will, just as likely as not, do all he can to +make it inconvenient for you and him. + +To show of how little service three year old mules are to the +Government, I will give the number handled by me during part of 1864 and +1865. + +On the 1st of September, 1864, I had charge of five thousand and +eighty-two mules; and during the same month I received two thousand two +hundred and ten, and issued to the Armies of the Potomac, the James, and +the Shenandoah, three thousand five hundred and seventy-one, which left +us on hand, on the 1st of October, three thousand seven hundred and +twenty-one. During the month of October we received only nine hundred +and eighty, and issued two thousand five hundred and thirty, which left +us on hand, on the 1st of November, two thousand one hundred and +seventy-one. During November we received two thousand one hundred and +eighty-six, and issued to the army one thousand seven hundred and +fifty-seven, which left us on hand, on the 1st of December, two thousand +four hundred and thirty mules. Now mark the deaths. + +During the month of September, 1864, there died in the corral fifteen +mules. In October, six died. In November, three; and in December, eight. +They were all two and three years old. + +On the 1st of May, 1865, we had on hand four thousand and twelve head, +and received, during the same month, seven thousand nine hundred and +fifty-eight. We issued, during the same month, fifteen thousand five +hundred and sixty-three, leaving us on hand, on the 1st of June, six +thousand four hundred and eighty-seven. During this month we received +seven thousand nine hundred and fifty-one, and issued eleven thousand +nine hundred and fifteen. Our mules during these months were sent out to +be herded, and the total number of deaths during the time was +twenty-four. But two of them were over four years old. Now, it occurs to +me that it would be a great saving to the Government not to purchase any +mules under four years old. This statement of deaths at the corral is as +nothing when compared with the number of deaths of young mules in the +field. It is, in fact, well established that fully two-thirds of the +deaths in the field are of young animals under three years of age. This +waste of animal life carries with it an expense it would be difficult to +estimate, but which a remedy might easily be found for. + +Now, it is well known that when a mule has reached the age of four +years, you will have very little trouble with him, so far as sickness +and disease are concerned. Besides, at the age of four he is able to +work, and work well; and he also understands better what you want him to +do. + +The committee appointed to report on this subject say many mules have +been lost by feeding on cut straw and corn meal. This is something +entirely new to me; and I am of opinion that more Government mules die +because they do not get enough of this straw and meal. The same +committee say, also, that in no instance have they known them to be +inflicted with disease other than inflammation of the intestines, caused +by exposure. I only wish that the members of that committee could have +had access to the affidavits in the Quartermaster-General's department-- +they would then have satisfied themselves that thousands of Government +mules have died with almost every disease the horse is subject to. And I +do not see why they should not be liable to the same diseases, since +they derive life and animation from the horse. The mule that breeds +closest after the jack, and is marked like him, is the hardiest, can +stand fatigue the best, and is less liable to those diseases common to +the horse; while those which breed close after the mare, and have no +marks of the jack about them, are liable to all of them. + +In the beginning of this chapter I spoke of the color of mules. I will, +in closing, make a few more remarks on that subject, which may interest +the reader. We have now at work three dun-colored mules, that were +transferred to the Army of the Potomac in 1862, and that went through +all the campaigns of that army, and were transferred back to us in June, +1865. They had been steadily at work, and yet were in good condition, +hardy, and bright, when they were turned in. These mules have a black +stripe across their shoulders, down their backs, and are what is called +"dark-colored duns." We also have the only full team that has gone +through all the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac. It was fitted up +at Annapolis, Md., in September, 1861, under Captain Santelle, A.Q.M. +They are now in fine condition, and equal to any thing we have in the +corral. The leaders are very fine animals. They are fourteen hands high, +one weighing eight hundred, and the other eight hundred and forty-five +pounds. One of the middle leaders weighs nine hundred, the other nine +hundred and forty-seven pounds, and fourteen hands and a half high. + + + +CHAPTER IV. DISEASES MULES ARE LIABLE TO.--WHAT HE CAN DRAW, ETC., ETC. + + +The committee also say that the mule is a more steady animal in his +draft than the horse. I think this the greatest mistake the committee +has made. You have only to observe the manner in which a dray or +heavily-loaded wagon will toss a mule about, and the way he will toss +himself around on the road, to be satisfied that the committee have +formed an erroneous opinion on that point. In starting with a load, the +mule, in many cases, works with his feet as if they were set on a pivot, +and hence does not take so firm a hold of the ground as the horse does. +I have never yet seen a mule in a dray or cart that could keep it from +jolting him round. In the first place, he has not the power to steady a +dray; and, in the second place, they never can be taught to do it. In +fine, they have not the formation to handle a dray or cart. What, then, +becomes of the idea that they are as steady in drays or teams as the +horse. + +The committee also say that mules are not subject to such ailments as +horses--spavin, glanders, ringbone, and bots. If I had the committee +here, I would show its members that every other mule in the +quartermasters' department, over fifteen and a half hands high, is +either spavined, ringboned, or ill some way injured by the above-named +diseases. The mule may not be so liable to spavin as the horse, but he +has ringbone just the same. I cannot, for the life of me, see how the +committee could have fallen into this error. There is this, however, to +be taken into consideration: the mule is not of so sensitive a nature as +the horse, and will bear pain without showing it in lameness. The close +observer, however, can easily detect it. One reason why they do not show +spavin and ringbone so much at the horse, is because our blacksmiths do +not cut their heels as low as they do a horse's, and consequently that +part of the foot is not made to work so hard. If you believe a mule has +a ringbone, and yet is not lame, just cut his heel down low, and give +him a few good pulls in a muddy place, and he will soon develop to you +both lameness and ringbone. Cut his toes down and leave his heels high, +and he will not be apt to go lame with it. + +The committee also say that a Mr. Elliott, of the Patuxent Furnaces, +says they hardly ever had a mule die of disease. This is a strange +statement; for the poorest teams I ever saw, and the very worst bred +stock, were on the Patuxent River, through the southern part of +Maryland, and at the markets on Washington City. It is pitiable to see, +as you can on market days, the shabby teams driven by the farmers of +eastern and southern Maryland. A more broken-hearted, poverty-stricken, +and dejected-looking set of teams can be seen nowhere else. The people +of Maryland have raised good horses; it is high time they waked up to +the necessity, and even profit, of raising a better kind of mule. + +In regard to the draft power of mules, in comparison with horses, there +are various opinions; and yet it is one which ought to be easily +settled. I have tested mules to the very utmost of their strength, and +it was very rare to find a pair that could draw thirty hundred weight a +single year, without being used up completely. Now, it is well known +that in the northern and western States you can find any number of pairs +of horses that will draw thirty-five and forty hundred weight anywhere. +And they will keep doing it, day after day, and retain their condition. + +There was one great difficulty the Agricultural Committee of South +Carolina had to contend with, and it was this. At the time it had the +subject of the mule under consideration, he was not used generally +throughout the United States. I can easily understand, therefore, that +the committee obtained its knowledge from the very few persons who had +them, and made the best report it could under the circumstances. Indeed, +I firmly believe the report was written with the intention of giving +correct information, but it failed entirely. In recommending any thing +of this kind, great care should be taken not to lead the inexperienced +astray, and to give only such facts as are obtained from thorough +knowledge; and no man should be accepted as authority in the care and +treatment of animals, unless he has had long experience with them, and +has made them a subject of study. + +A few words more on breaking the mule. Don't fight or abuse him. After +you have harnessed him, and he proves to be refractory, keep your own +temper, slack your reins, push him round, backward and forward, not +roughly; and if he will not go, and do what you want, tie him to a post +and let him stand there a day or so without food or water. Take care, +also, that he does not lie down, and be careful to have a person to +guard him, so that he does not foul in the harness. If he will not go, +after a day or two of this sort of treatment, give him one or two more +of it, and my word for it, he will come to his senses and do any thing +you want from that time forward. Some persons assert that the mule is a +very cunning animal; others assert that he is dull and stupid, and +cannot be made to understand what you want. He is, I admit, what may be +called a tricky animal; but, for experiment sake, just play one or two +tricks with him, and he will show you by his action that he understands +them well. Indeed, he knows a great deal more than he generally gets +credit for, and few animals are more capable of appreciating proper +treatment. Like many other species of animal, there are scarcely two to +be found of precisely the same temper and disposition, if we except the +single vice of kicking, which they will all do, especially when well fed +and rested. And we can excuse even this vice in consideration of the +fact, that the mule is not a natural animal, but only an invention of +man. Some persons are inclined to think that, when a mule is a kicker, +he has not been properly broken. I doubt if you can break a mule so that +he will not kick a stranger at sight, especially if he be under six +years old. The only way to keep a mule from kicking you is to handle it +a great deal when young, and accustom it to the ways and actions of men. +You must through kindness convince it that you are not going to harm or +abuse it; and you can do that best by taking hold of it in a gentle +manner every time it appears to be frightened. Such treatment I have +always found more effective than all the beating and abusing you can +apply. + +There is another fault the mule has to contend against. It is the common +belief among teamsters and others that he has less confidence in man +than the horse has, and to improve this they almost invariably apply the +whip. The reason for this want of confidence is readily found in the +fact that mule colts are never handled with that degree of kindness and +care that horse colts are. They are naturally more stubborn than the +horse, and most of those persons who undertake to halter or harness them +for the first time are even more stubborn in their disposition than the +mule. They commence to break the animal by beating him in the most +unmerciful manner, and that at once so excites the mule's stubbornness, +that many of them, in this condition, would not move an inch if you were +to cut them to pieces. And let me say here that nothing should be so +much avoided in breaking this animal as the whip. The young, unbroken +mule cannot be made to understand what you are whipping him for. + +It is a habit with mule drivers in the army, many of whom are men +without feeling for a dumb animal, to whip mules just to hear their +whips crack, and to let others hear with what dexterity they can do it. +It has a very bad effect on the animals, and some means should be +applied to stop it. Army teamsters and stable-men seem to regard it as a +virtue to be cruel to animals. They soon cultivate vicious habits, and a +bad temper seems to grow up with their occupation. It naturally follows, +then, that in the treatment of their animals they do just what they +ought not to do. The Government has been a very severe sufferer by this; +and I contend that during a war it is just as necessary to have +experienced and well trained teamsters as it is to have hardened and +well trained soldiers. + +The mule is peculiar in his dislikes. Many of them, when first +harnessed, so dislike a blind bridle that they will not work in it. When +you find this, let him stand for say a day in the blinders, and then +take them off, and in forty-nine cases out of fifty he will go at once. + +It has been said that the mule never scares or runs away. This is not +true. He is not so apt to get frightened and run away as the horse is. +But any one who has had long experience with them in the army knows that +they will both get frightened and run away. They do not, however, lose +all their senses when they get frightened and run away, as the horse +does. Bring a mule back after he has run away, and in most cases he will +not want to do it again. A horse that has once run away, however, is +never safe afterward. Indeed, in all the tens of thousands of mules that +I have handled, I never yet found an habitual runaway. Their sluggish +nature does not incline them to such tricks. If a team attempts to run +away, one or two of them will fall down before they have gone far, and +this will stop the remainder. Attempt to put one up to the same speed +you would a horse, over a rough road, and you will have performed +wonders if he does not fall and break your bones. + +The mule, especially if large, cannot stand hard roads and pavements. +His limbs are too small for his body, and they generally give out. You +will notice that all good judges of road and trotting horses like to see +a good strong bone in the leg. This is actually necessary. The mule, you +will notice, is very deficient in leg, and generally have poor muscle. +And many of them are what is called cat-hammed. + +_Working Condition of Mules_.--Most persons, when they see a good, fat, +slick mule, are apt to exclaim: "What a fine mule there is!" He takes it +for granted that because the animal is fat, tall, and heavy, he must be +a good work animal. This, however, is no criterion to judge by. A mule, +to be in good condition for work, should never be any fatter than what +is known as good working condition. One of fourteen and a half hands +high, to be in good working condition, should not weigh over nine +hundred and fifty pounds. One of fifteen hands high should not weigh +over one thousand pounds. If he does, his legs will in a very short time +give out, and he will have to go to the hospital. In working a mule with +too much flesh, it will produce curbs, spavin, ringbone, or crooked +hocks. The muscles and tendons of their small legs are not capable of +carrying a heavy weight of body for any length of time. He may not, as I +have said before, show his blemishes in lameness, but it is only because +he lacks that fine feeling common to the horse. I have, singular as it +may seem, known mules that have been spavined, curbed, and ringboned, +and yet have been worked for years without exhibiting lameness. + +Avoid spotted, or dapple mules; they are the very poorest animal you can +get. They cannot stand hard work, and once they get diseased and begin +to lose strength, there is no saving them. The Mexicans call them +pintos, or painted mules. We call them calico Arabians or Chickasaws. +They have generally bad eyes, which get very sore during the heat and +dust of summer, when many of them go blind. Many of the snow-white mules +are of the same description, and about as useless. Mules with the white +muzzle, or, as some term it, white-nore white, and with white rings +round the eyes, are also of but little account as work mules. They can +stand no hardship of any kind. Government, at least, should never +purchase them. In purchasing mules, you must look well to the age, form, +height, eyes, size of bone and muscle, and disposition; for these are of +more importance than his color. Get these right and you will have a good +animal. + +If any gentleman wants to purchase a mule for the saddle, let him get +one bred closer after the mare than the jack. They are more docile, +handle easier, and are more tractable, and will do what you want with +less trouble than the other. If possible, also, get mare mules; they are +much more safe and trusty under the saddle, and less liable to get +stubborn. They are also better than a horse mule for team purposes. In +short, if I were purchasing mules for myself, I would give at least +fifteen dollars more for mare mules than I would for horse. They are +superior to the horse mule in every way. One reason is, that they +possess all their natural faculties, while you deprive the horse of his +by altering. + +The most disagreeable and unmanageable, and I was going to say useless, +animal in the world, is a stud mule. They are no benefit to anybody, and +yet they are more troublesome than any other animal. They rarely ever +get fat, and are always fretting; and it is next to impossible to keep +them from breaking loose and getting at mares. Besides, they are +exceedingly dangerous to have amongst horses. They will frequently fly +at the horse, like a tiger, and bite, tear, and kick him to pieces. I +have known them to shut their eyes, become furious, and dash over both +man and beast to get at a mare. It is curious, also, that a white mare +seems to have the greatest attractions for them. I have known a stud +mule to take a fancy to a white mare, and it seemed impossible to keep +him away from her. Mules of all kinds, however, seem to have a peculiar +fancy for white mares and horses, and when this attachment is once +formed, it is almost impossible to separate them. If you want to drive a +herd of five hundred mules any distance, turn a white or gray mare in +among them for two or three days, and they will become so attached to +her that you may turn them out, and they will follow her anywhere. Just +let a man lead the mare, and with two men mounted you can manage the +whole herd almost as well as if they were in a team. Another way to lead +mules is, to put a bell on the mare's neck. The mules will listen for +that bell like a lot of school children, and will follow its tinkling, +with the same instinct. + +Another curious thing about the mule is this: You may hitch him up +to-day for the first time, and he may become sullen and refuse to go a +step for you. This may be very provoking, and perhaps excite your +temper; but do not let it, for ten chances to one, if you take him out +of the harness to-day and put him in again to-morrow, that he will go +right off, and do any thing you want him. It is best always to get a +young mule well used to the harness before you try to work him in a +team. When you get him so that he is not afraid of the harness, you may +consider your mule two-thirds broke. + +I have seen it asserted that a team of mules was more easily handled +than a team of horses. It is impossible that this can be so, for the +reason that you never can make a mule as bridle-wise as a horse. To +further prove that this cannot be so, let any reinsman put as many mules +together as there are horses in the "band wagon" of a show, or circus, +and see what he can do with them. There is not a driver living who can +rein them with the same safety that he can a horse, and for the very +reason, that whenever the mule finds that he has the advantage of you, +he will keep it in spite of all you can do. + +_Mule Raising_.--I never could understand why it was that almost every +person, that raises stock, recommends big, ugly gollips of mares, for +mule-breeding. The principle is certainly a wrong one, as a little study +of nature must show. To produce a good, well-proportioned mule, you must +have a good, compact, and serviceable mare. It is just as necessary as +in the crossing of any other animal. It certainly is more profitable to +raise good animals than poor ones; and you cannot raise good mules from +bad mares, no matter what the jack is. You invariably see the bad mare +in the flabby, long-legged mule. + +It has been held by some of our officers, that the mule was a better +animal for Government service, because he required less care and feed +than the horse, and would go longer without water. This, again, is a +grave mistake. The mule, if properly taken care of, requires nearly as +much forage as the horse, and should be groomed and cared for just the +same. I refer now to team animals. Such statements do a great deal of +injury, inasmuch as they encourage the men who have charge of animals to +neglect and abuse them. The teamster who hears his superior talk in this +way will soon take advantage of it. Animals of all kinds, in a wild and +natural state, have a way of keeping themselves clean. If left wild, the +mule would do it. But when man deprives them of the privileges by tying +them up and domesticating them, he must assist them in the most natural +way to keep themselves clean. And this assistance the animal appreciates +to its fullest extent. + +_How to Handle a Mule Colt._--Owners and raisers of mules should pay +more attention to their habits when young. And I would give them this +advice: When the colt is six months old, put a halter on him and let the +strap hang loose. Let your strap be about four feet long, so that it +will drag on the ground. The animal will soon accustom himself to this; +and when he has, take up the end and lead him to the place where you +have been accustomed to feed him. This will make him familiar with you, +and increase his confidence. Handle his ears at times, but don't squeeze +them, for the ear is the most sensitive part of this animal. As soon as +he lets you handle his ears familiarly, put a loose bridle on him. Put +it on and take it off frequently. In this way you will secure the colt's +confidence, and he will retain it until you need him for work. + +Speaking of the sensitiveness of the mule's ear, a scratch, or the +slightest injury to it, will excite their stubbornness and make them +afraid of you. I have known a mule's ear to be scratched by rough +handling, and for months afterward it was with the greatest difficulty +you could bridle him. Nothing is more important than that you should +bridle a young mule properly. I have found from experience that the best +way is this: stand on the near side, of course; take the top of the +bridle in your right hand, and the bit in your left; pass your arm +gently over his eye until that part of the arm bends his ear down, then +slip the bit into his mouth, and at the same time let your hand be +working slowly with the bearings still on his head and neck, until you +have arranged the head-stall. + +It would be a saving of thousands of dollars to the Government, if, in +purchasing mules, it could get them all halter and bridle-broken. +Stablemen, in the employ of the Government, will not take the trouble to +halter and bridle-break them properly; and I have seen hundreds of +mules, in the City of Washington, totally ruined by tying them up behind +wagons while young, and literally dragging them through the streets. +These mules had never, perhaps, had a halter on before. I have seen +them, while tied in this manner, jump back, throw themselves down, and +be dragged on the ground until they were nearly dead. And what is worse, +the teamster invariably seeks to remedy this by beating them. In most +cases, the teamster would see them dragged to death before he would give +them a helping hand. If he knew how to apply a proper remedy, very +likely he would not give himself the trouble to apply it. I have never +been able to find out how this pernicious habit of tying mules behind +wagons originated; but the sooner an order is issued putting a stop to +it, the better, for it is nothing less than a costly torture. The mule, +more than any other animal, wants to see where he is going. He cannot do +this at the tail of an army wagon, though it is an excellent plan for +him to get his head bruised or his brains knocked out. + +Some persons charge it as an habitual vice with the mule to pull back. I +have seen horses contract that vice, and continue it until they killed +themselves. But, in all my experience with the mule, I never saw one in +which it was a settled vice. During the time I had charge of the +receiving and issuing of horses to the army, I had a great many horses +injured seriously by this vice of pulling back. Some of these horses +became so badly injured in the spine that I had to send them to the +hospital, then under the charge of Dr. L.H. Braley. Some were so badly +injured that they died in fits; others were cured. Even when the mule +gets his neck sore, he will endure it like the ox, and instead of +pulling back, as the horse will, he will come right up for the purpose +of easing it. They do not, as some suppose, do this because of their +sore, but because they are not sensitive like the horse. + +_Packing Mules_.--In looking over a copy of Mason's Farrier, or Stud +Book, by Mr. Skinner, I find it stated that a mule is capable of packing +six or eight hundred pounds. Mr. Skinner has evidently never packed +mules, or he would not have made so erroneous a statement. I have been +in all our Northern and Western Territories, in Old and New Mexico, +where nearly all the business is done by pack animals, mules, and asses; +and I have also been among the tribes of Indians bordering on the +Mexican States, where they have to a great extent adopted the Spanish +method of packing, and yet I never saw an instance when a mule could be +packed six or eight hundred pounds. Indeed, the people in these +countries would ridicule such an assertion. And here I purpose to give +the result of my own experience in packing, together with that of +several others who have long followed the business. + +I also purpose to say something on what I consider the best mode of +packing, the weight suitable for each animal, and the relative gain or +loss that might result from this method of transportation, as compared +with transportation by wagon. In the first place, packing ought never to +be resorted to, because it cannot be done with profit, where the roads +are good and wagons and animals are to be had. In mountains, over +deserts and plains of sand, where forage is scant, and water only to be +had at long intervals, then the pack is a necessity, and can be used +with profit. Let it be understood, also, that in packing, the Spanish +pack-mule, as as well as saddle, is the most suitable. Second: The +Spanish method of packing is, above all others, the most ancient, the +best and most economical. With it the animal can carry a heavier burden +with less injury to himself. Third: The weight to be packed, under ever +so favorable circumstances, should never be over four hundred and fifty +pounds. Fourth: The American pack-saddle is a worthless thing, and +should never be used when any considerable amount of weight is required +to be packed. + +If I had previously entertained any doubt in regard to this American +pack-saddle, it was removed by what came under my observation three +years ago. While employed in the quartermasters' depot, at Washington, +D.C., as superintendent of the General Hospital Stables, we at one time +received three hundred mules, on which the experiment of packing with +this saddle had been tried in the Army of the Potomac. It was said this +was one of General Butterfield's experiments. These animals presented no +evidence of being packed more than once; but such was the terrible +condition of their backs that the whole number required to be placed at +once under medical treatment. Officers of the army who knew Dr. Braley, +know how invariably successful he has been in the treatment of +Government animals, and how carefully he treats them. Yet, in spite of +all his skill, and with the best of shelter, fifteen of these animals +died from mortification of their wounds and injuries of the spine. The +remainder were a very long time in recovering, and when they did, their +backs, in many cases, were scarred in such a manner as to render them +unfit ever after for being used for a similar purpose. The use of the +American pack-saddle, and lack of knowledge on the part of those in +charge as to what mules were suitable for packing, did this. The +experienced packer would have seen at a glance that a large portion of +these mules were utterly unfit for the business. The experiment was a +wretched failure, but cost the Government some thousands of dollars. + +I ought to mention, however, that the class of mules on which this +experiment was tried were loose, leggy animals, such as I have +heretofore described as being almost unfit for any branch of Government +service. But, by all means, let the Government abandon the American +pack-saddle until some further improvements are made in it. + +Now, as to the weight a mule can pack. I have seen the Delaware Indians, +with all their effects packed on mules, going out on a buffalo hunt. I +have seen the Potawatamies, the Kickapoos, the Pawnees, the Cheyennes, +Pi-Ute, Sioux, Arapahoes, and indeed almost every tribe that use mules, +pack them to the very extent of their strength, and never yet saw the +mule that could pack what Mr. Skinner asserts. More than that, I assert +here that you cannot find a mule that will pack even four hundred +pounds, and keep his condition sixty days. Eight hundred pounds, Mr. +Skinner, is a trying weight for a horse to drag any distance. What, +then, must we think of it on the back of a mule? The officers of our +quartermasters' department, who have been out on the plains, understand +this matter perfectly. Any of these gentlemen will tell you that there +is not a pack train of fifty mules in existence, that can pack on an +average for forty days, three hundred pounds to the animal. + +I will now give you the experience of some of the best mule packers in +the country, in order to show that what has been written in regard to +the mule's strength is calculated to mislead the reader. In 1856, +William Anderson, a man whom I know well, packed from the City of Del +Norte to Chihuahua and Durango, in Mexico, a distance of five hundred +miles or thereabout. Anderson and a man of the name of Frank Roberts had +charge of the pack train. They had seventy-five mules, and used to pack +boxes of dry goods, bales, and even barrels. They had two Mexican +drivers, and travelled about fifteen miles a day, at most, though they +took the very best of care of their animals. Now, the very most it was +possible for any mule in this train to get along with was two hundred +and seventy-five pounds. More than this, they did not have over +twenty-five mules out of the whole number that could pack two hundred +and fifty pounds, the average weight to the whole train being a little +less than two hundred pounds. To make this fifteen miles a day, they had +to make two drives, letting the animals stop to feed whenever they had +made seven or eight miles. + +In 1858, this same Anderson packed for the expedition sent after the +Snake Indians. His train consisted of some two hundred and fifty or +three hundred mules. They packed from Cordelaine Mission to Walla Walla, +in Oregon. The animals were of a very superior kind, selected for the +purpose of packing out of a very large lot. Some of the very best of +these mules were packed with three hundred pounds, but at the end of two +weeks gave out completely. + +In 1859, this same Anderson packed for a gentleman of the name of David +Reese, living at the Dalles, in Portland, Oregon. His train consisted of +fifty mules, in good average condition, many of them weighing nine +hundred and fifty pounds, and from thirteen to fourteen hands high. His +average packing was two hundred and fifty pounds. The distance was three +hundred miles, and it occupied forty days in going and returning. Such +was the severity of the labor that nearly two-thirds of the animals +became poor, and their backs so sore as to be unfit for work. This trip +was made from the Dalles, in Oregon, to Salmon Falls, on the Columbia +River. Anderson asserts it, as the result of his experience, that, in +packing fifty mules a distance of three hundred miles with two hundred +and fifty pounds, the animals will be so reduced at the end of the +journey as to require at least four weeks to bring them into condition +again. This also conforms with my own experience. + +In 1857, there was started from Fort Laramie, Nebraska Territory, to go +to Fort Bridger with salt, a train of forty mules. It was in the winter; +each mule was packed with one hundred and eighty pounds, as near as we +could possibly estimate, and the train was given in charge of a man of +the name of Donovan. The weather and roads were bad, and the pack proved +entirely too heavy. Donovan did all he could to get his train through, +but was forced to leave more than two-thirds of it on the way. At that +season of the year, when grass is poor and the weather bad, one hundred +and forty or one hundred and fifty pounds is enough for any mule to +pack. + +There were also, in 1857, regular pack trains run from Red Bluffs, on +the Sacramento River, in California, to Yreka and Curran River. Out of +all the mules used in these trains, none were packed with over two +hundred pounds. To sum up, packing never should be resorted to when +there is any other means of transportation open. It is, beyond doubt, +the most expensive means of transportation, even when the most +experienced packers are employed. If, however, it were necessary for the +Government to establish a system of packing, it would be a great saving +to import Mexicans, accustomed to the work, to perform the labor, and +Americans to take charge of the trains. Packing is a very laborious +business, and very few Americans either care about doing it, or have the +patience necessary to it. + + + +CHAPTER V. PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE MULE. + + +I now propose to say something on the mule's limbs and feet. It will be +observed that the mule has a jack's leg from the knee down, and in this +part of the leg he is weak; and with these he frequently has to carry a +horse's body. It stands to reason, then, that if you feed him until he +gets two or three hundred pounds of extra flesh on him, as many persons +do, he will break down for want of leg-strength. Indeed, the mule is +weakest where the horse is strongest. His feet, too, are a singular +formation, differing very materially from those of the horse. The mule's +feet grow very slow, and the grain or pores of the hoof are much closer +and harder than those of the horse. It is not so liable, however, to +break or crumble. And yet they are not so well adapted for work on +macadamized or stony roads, and the more flesh you put on his body, +after a reasonable weight, the more you add to the means of his +destruction. + +Observe, for instance, a farmer's mule, or a poor man's mule working in +the city. These persons, with rare exceptions, feed their mules very +little grain, and they are generally in low flesh. And yet they last a +very long time, notwithstanding the rough treatment they get. When you +feed a mule, you must adjust the proportions of his body to the strength +of his limbs and the kind of service he is required to perform. +Experience has taught me, that the less you feed a mule below what he +will eat clean, just that amount of value and life is kept out of him. + +In relation to feeding animals. Some persons boast of having horses and +mules that eat but little, and are therefore easily kept. Now, when I +want to get a horse or a mule, these small eaters are the last ones I +would think of purchasing. In nine cases out of ten, you will find such +animals out of condition. When I find animals in the Government's +possession, that cannot eat the amount necessary to sustain them and +give them proper strength, I invariably throw them out, to be nursed +until they will eat their rations. Animals, to be kept in good +condition, and fit for proper service, should eat their ten and twelve +quarts of grain per head per day, with hay in proportion--say, twelve +pounds. + +I wish here again to correct a popular error, that the mule does not +eat, and requires much less food than the horse. My experience has been, +that a mule, twelve hands high, and weighing eight hundred pounds, will +eat and, indeed, requires just as much as a horse of similar dimensions. +Give them similar work, keep then in a stable, or camp them out during +the winter months, and the mule will eat more than the horse will or +can. A mule, however, will eat almost any thing rather than starve. +Straw, pine boards, the bark of trees, grain sacks, pieces of old +leather, do not come amiss with him when he is hungry. There were many +instances, during the late war, where a team of mules were found, of a +morning, standing over the remains of what had, the evening before, been +a Government wagon. When two or more have been kept tied to a wagon, +they have been known to eat each other's tail off to the bone, And yet +the animal, thus deprived of his caudal appendage, did not evince much +pain. + +In the South, many of the plantations are worked with mules, driven by +negroes. The mule seems to understand and appreciate the negro; and the +negro has a sort of fellow-feeling for the mule. Both are sluggish and +stubborn, and yet they get along well together. The mule, too, is well +suited to plantation labor, and will outlast a horse at it. The soil is +also light and sandy, and better suited to the mule's feet. A negro has +not much sympathy for a work-horse, and in a short time will ruin him +with abuse, whereas he will share his corn with the mule. Nor does the +working of the soil on southern plantations overtax the power of the +mule. + +_The Value of Harnessing properly_.--In working any animal, and more +especially the mule, it is both humane and economical to have him +harnessed properly, Unless he be, the animal cannot perform the labor he +is capable of with ease and comfort, And you cannot watch too closely to +see that every thing works in its right place. Begin with the bridle, +and see that it does not chafe or cut him, The army blind-bridle, with +the bit alteration attached, is the very best bridle that can be used on +either horse or mule. Be careful, however, that the crown-piece is not +attached too tight. Be careful, also, that it does not draw the sides of +the animal's mouth up into wrinkles, for the bit, working against these, +is sure to make the animal's mouth sore. The mule's mouth is a very +difficult part to heal, and once it gets sore he becomes unfit for work. +Your bridle should be fitted well to the mule's head before you attempt +to work him in it. Leave your bearing-line slack, so as to allow the +mule the privilege of learning to walk easy with harness on. It is too +frequently the case, that the eyes of mules that are worked in the +Government's service are injured by the blinds being allowed to work too +close to the eyes. This is caused by the blind-stay being too tight, or +perhaps not split far enough up between the eyes and ears. This stay +should always be split high enough up to allow the blinds to stand at +least one inch and a half from the eye. + +Another, and even more essential part of the harness is the collar. More +mules are maimed and even ruined altogether by improperly fitting +collars, than is generally believed by quartermasters. It requires more +judgment to fit a collar properly on a mule than it does to fit any +other part of the harness. Get your collar long enough to buckle the +strap close up to the last hole. Then examine the bottom, and see that +there be room enough between the mule's neck or wind-pipe to lay your +open hand in easily. This will leave a space between the collar and the +mule's neck of nearly two inches. Aside from the creased neck, mules' +necks are nearly all alike in shape, They indeed vary as little in neck +as they do in feet; and what I say on the collar will apply to them all, +The teamster has always the means in his own hands of remedying a bad +fitting collar. If the animal does not work easy in it, if it pinch him +somewhere, let it remain in water over night, put it on the animal wet +the next morning, and in a few minutes it will take the exact formation +of the animal's neck. See that it is properly fitted above and below to +the hames, then the impression which the collar takes in a natural form +will be superior to the best mechanical skill of the best harness-maker. + +There is another thing about collars, which, in my opinion, is very +important. When you are pursuing a journey with teams of mules, where +hay and grain are scarce, the animals will naturally become poor, and +their necks get thin and small. If once the collar becomes too large, +and you have no way of exchanging it for a smaller one, of course you +must do the next best thing you can. Now, first take the collar off the +animal, lay it on a level, and cut about one inch out of the centre. +When you have done this, try it on the animal again; and if it still +continues too large take a little more from each side of the centre +until you get it right. In this way you can effect the remedy you need. + +In performing a long journey, the animals will, if driven hard, soon +show you where the collar ought to be cut, They generally get sore on +the outer part of the shoulder, and this on account of the muscle +wasting away. Teamsters on the plains and in the Western Territories cut +all the collars when starting on a trip. It takes less time afterward to +fit them to the teams, and to harness and unharness. + +When you find out where the collar has injured the shoulder, cut it and +take out enough of the stuffing to prevent the leather from touching the +sore. In this way the animal will soon get sound-shouldered again. Let +the part of the leather you cut hang loose, so that when you take the +stuffing out you may put it back and prevent any more than is actually +necessary from coming out. + +See that your hames fit well, for they are a matter of great importance +in a mule's drawing. Unless your hames fit your collar well, you are +sure to have trouble with your harness, and your mule will work badly. +Some persons think, because a mule can be accustomed to work with almost +any thing for a harness, that money is saved in letting him do it. This +is a great mistake. You serve the best economy when you harness him well +and make his working comfortable. Indeed, a mule can do more work with a +bad-fitting collar and harness than a man can walk with a bad-fitting +boot. Try your hames on, and draw them tight enough at the top of the +mule's neck, so that they will not work or roll round. They should be +tight enough to fit well without pinching the neck or shoulder, and in +fine, fit as neatly as a man's shirt-collar. + +Do not get the bulge part of your collar down too low. If you do, you +interfere with the machinery that propels the mule's fore legs. Again, +if you raise it too high, you at once interfere with his wind. There is +an exact place for the bulge of the collar, and it is on the point of +the mule's shoulder. Some persons use a pad made of sheepskin on the toe +of the collar. Take it off, for it does no good, and get a piece of +thick leather, free from wrinkles, ten or twelve inches long and seven +wide; slit it crosswise an inch or so from each end, leaving about an +inch in the centre. Fit this in, in place of the pad of sheepskin, and +you will have a cheaper, more durable, and cooler neck-gear for the +animal. You cannot keep a mule's neck in good condition with heating and +quilted pads. The same is true of padded saddles. I have perhaps ridden +as much as any other man in the service, of my age, and yet I never +could keep a horse's back in good condition with a padded saddle when I +rode over twenty-five or thirty miles a day. + +There is another evil which ought to be remedied. I refer now to the +throat-latch. Hundreds of mules are in a measure ruined by allowing the +throat-latch to be worked too tight. A tight throat-latch invariably +makes his head sore. Besides, it interferes with a part which, if it +were not for, you would not have the mule--his wind. I have frequently +known mules' heads so injured by the throat-latch that they would not +allow you to bridle them, or indeed touch their heads. And to bridle a +mule with a sore head requires a little more patience than nature +generally supplies man with. + +Let a mule's ears alone. It is very common with teamsters and others, +when they want to harness mules, to catch them by the ears, put twitches +on their ears. Even blacksmiths, who certainly ought to know better, are +in the habit of putting tongs and twitches in their ears when they shoe +them. Now, against all these barbarous and inhuman practices, I here, in +the name of humanity, enter my protest. The animal becomes almost +worthless by the injuries caused by such practices. There are extreme +cases in which the twitch may be resorted to, but it should in all cases +be applied to the nose, and only then when all milder means have failed. + +But there is another, and much better, method of handling and overcoming +the vices of refractory mules. I refer to the lariat. Throw the noose +over the head of the unruly mule, then draw him carefully up to a wagon, +as if for the purpose of bridling him. In case he is extremely hard to +bridle, or vicious, throw an additional lariat or rope over his head, +fixing it precisely as represented in the drawing. By this method you +can hold any mule. But even this method had better be avoided unless +where it is absolutely necessary. + +It is now August, 1866. We are working five hundred and fifty-eight +animals, from six o'clock in the morning until seven o'clock at night, +and out of this number we have not got ten sore or galled animals. The +reason is, because we do not use a single padded saddle or collar. Also, +that the part of the harness that the heaviest strain comes on is kept +as smooth and pliable as it is possible for it to be. Look well to your +drawing-chains, too, and see that they are kept of an even length. If +your collar gets gummy or dirty, don't scrape it with a knife; wash it, +and preserve the smooth surface. Your breeching, or wheel harness, is +also another very important part; see that it does not cut and chafe the +animal so as to wear the hair off, or injure the skin. If you get this +too tight, it is impossible for the animal to stretch out and walk free. +Besides obstructing the animal's gait, however, the straps will hold the +collar and hames so tight to his shoulder as to make him sore on the top +of his neck. These straps should always be slack enough to allow the +mule perfect freedom when at his best walk. + +And now I have a few words to say on Government wagons. Government +wagons, as now made, can be used for other purposes besides the army. +The large-sized Government wagon is, it has been proved, too heavy for +four horses. The smaller sized one is nearer right; but whenever you +take an ordinary load on it (the smaller one) and have a rough country +to move through, it will give out. It is too heavy for two horses and a +light load, and yet not heavy enough to carry twenty-five hundred or +three thousand pounds, a four-horse load, when the roads are in any way +bad. They do tolerably well about cities, established posts, and indeed +anywhere where the roads are good, and they are not subject to much +strain. Improvements on the Government wagon have been attempted, but +the result has been failure. The more simple you can get such wagons, +the better, and this is why the original yet stands as the best. There +is, however, great difference in the material used, and some makers make +better wagons than others. The six and eight-mule wagon, the largest +size used for road and field purposes, is, in my humble opinion, the +very best adapted to the uses of our American army. During the rebellion +there were a great many wagons used that were not of the army pattern. +One of these, I remember, was called the Wheeling wagon, and used to a +great extent for light work, and did well. On this account many persons +recommended them. I could not, and for this reason: they are too +complicated, and they are much too light to carry the ordinary load of a +six-mule team. At the end of the war it was shown that the army pattern +wagon had been worked more, had been repaired less, and was in better +condition than any other wagon used. I refer now to those made in +Philadelphia, by Wilson & Childs, or Wilson, Childs & Co. They are known +in the army as the Wilson wagon. The very best place to test the +durability of a wagon is on the plains. Run it there, one summer, when +there is but little wet weather, where there are all kinds of roads to +travel on and loads to carry, and if it stands that it will stand any +thing. The wagon-brake, instead of the lock-chain, is a great and very +valuable improvement made during the War. Having a brake on the wagon +saves the time and trouble of stopping at the top of every hill to lock +the wheels, and again at the bottom to unlock them. Officers of the army +know how much trouble this used to cause, how it used to block up the +roads, and delay the movements of troops impatient to get ahead. The +lock-chain ground out the wagon tire in one spot. The brake saves that; +and it also saves the animal's neck from that bruising and chafing +incident to the dead strain that was required when dragging the locked +wheel. + +There is another difficulty that has been overcome by the wagon-brake. +In stopping to lock wheels on the top of a hill, your train get into +disorder. In most cases, when trains are moving on the road, there is a +space of ten or fifteen feet between the wagons. Each team, then, will +naturally close up that space as it comes to the place for halting to +lock. Now, about the time the first teamster gets his wheel locked, the +one in the rear of him is dismounting for the same purpose. This being +repeated along the train, it is not difficult to see how the space must +increase, and irregularity follow. The more wagons you have to lock with +the drag-chain, the further you get the teams apart. When you have a +large body of wagons moving together, it naturally follows that, with +such a halt as this, the teams in the rear must make twenty-five halts, +or stops, and starts, for everyone that the head team makes. + +When the teamster driving the second team gets ready to lock, the first, +or head team, starts up. This excites the mule of the second to do the +same, and so all along the train. This irritates the teamster, and he is +compelled to run up and catch the wheel-mules by the head, to make them +stop, so that he can lock his wheels. In nine cases out of ten he will +waste time in punishing his animals for what they do not understand. He +never thinks for a moment that the mule is accustomed to start up when +the wagon ahead of him moves, and supposes he is doing his duty. In many +cases, when he had got his wheels locked, he had so excited his mules +that they would run down the hill, cripple some of the men, break the +wagon, cause a "smash-up" in the train, and perhaps destroy the very +rations and clothes on which some poor soldier's life depended. We all +know what delay and disaster have resulted from the roads being blocked +up in this manner. The brake, thanks to the inventor, offers a remedy +for all this. It also saves the neck and shoulders of every animal in +the train; it saves the feet of the wheelers; it saves the harness; it +saves the lead and swing mules from being stopped so quick that they cut +themselves; and it saves the wheels at least twenty per cent. Those who +have had wagons thrown over precipices, or labored and struggled in mud +and water two and three hours at a time, can easily understand how time +and trouble could have been saved if the wagon could have been locked in +any way after it started over those places. The best brake by all odds, +is that which fastens with a lever chain to the brake-bar. I do not like +those which attach with a rope, and for the reason that the lazy +teamster can sit on the saddle-mule and lock and unlock, while, with the +chain and lever, he must get off. In this way he relieves the +saddle-mule's back. + +We all know that, in riding mules down steep or long hills, you do much +to stiffen them up and wear them out. + + + +CHAPTER VI. SOMETHING MORE ABOUT BREEDING MULES. + + +Before I close this work, I desire to say something more about breeding +mules. It has long been a popular error that to get a good mule colt you +must breed from large mares. The average sized, compact mare, is by all +odds the superior animal to breed mules from. Experience has satisfied +me that very large mules are about as useless for army service as very +large men are for troopers. You can get no great amount of service out +of either. One is good at destroying rations; the other at lowering +haystacks and corn-bins. Of all the number we had in the army, I never +saw six of these large, overgrown mules that were of much service. +Indeed, I have yet to see the value in any animal that runs or rushes to +an overgrowth. The same is true with man, beast, or vegetable. I will +get the average size of either of them, and you will acknowledge the +superiority. + +The only advantage these large mares may give to the mule is in the size +of the feet and bone that they may impart. The heavier you can get the +bone and feet, the better. And yet you can rarely get even this, and for +the reason that I have before given, that the mare, in nineteen cases +out of twenty, breeds close after the jack, more especially in the feet +and legs. It makes little difference how you cross mares and jacks, the +result is almost certain to be a horse's body, a jack's legs and feet, a +jack's ears, and, in most cases, a jack's marks. + +Nature has directed this crossing for the best, since the closer the +mare breeds after the jack the better the mule. The highest marked +mules, and the deepest of the different colors, I have invariably found +to be the best. What is it, let us inquire, that makes the Mexican mule +hardy, trim, robust, well-marked after the jack, and so serviceable? It +is nothing more nor less than breeding from sound, serviceable, compact, +and spirited Mexican or mustang mares. You must, in fact, use the same +judgment in crossing these animals as you would if you wanted to produce +a good race or trotting horse. + +We are told, in Mason and Skinner's Stud Book, that in breeding mules +the mares should be large barrelled small limbed, with a moderate-sized +head and a good forehead. This, it seems to me, will strike our officers +as a very novel recommendation. The mule's limbs and feet are the +identical parts you want as large as possible, as everyone that has had +much to do with the animal knows. You rarely find a mule that has legs +as large as a horse. But the mule, from having a horse's body, will +fatten and fill up, and become just as heavy as the body of an +average-sized horse. Having, then, to carry this extra amount of fat and +flesh on the slender legs and feet of a jackass, you can easily see what +the result must be. No; you will be perfectly safe in getting your mule +as large-legged as you can. And by all means let the mare you breed from +have a good, sound, healthy block of a foot. Then the colt will stand +some chance of inheriting a portion of it. It is natural that the larger +you get his feet the steadier he will travel. Some persons will tell you +that these small feet are natural, and are best adapted to the animal. +But they forget that the mule is not a natural animal, only an invention +of man. Let your mare and jack be each of the average size, the jack +well marked, and No. 1 of his kind, and I will take the product and wear +out any other style of breed. Indeed, you have only to appeal to your +better judgment to convince you as to what would result from putting a +jack, seven or eight hands high, to a mare of sixteen or more. + +I have witnessed some curious results in mule breeding, and which it may +be well enough to mention here. I have seen frequent instances where one +of the very best jacks in the country had been put to mares of good +quality and spirit. Putting them to such contemptible animals seemed to +degrade them, to destroy their natural will and temper. The result was a +sort of bastard mule, a small-legged, small-footed, cowardly animal, +inheriting all the vices of the mule and none of the horse's virtues-- +the very meanest of his kind. + + + +CHAPTER VII. ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE MULE. + + +The mule seems to have been used by the ancients in a great variety of +ways; but what should have prompted his production must for ever remain +a mystery. That they early discovered his great usefulness in making +long journeys, climbing mountains, and crossing deserts of burnings and, +when subsistence and water were scarce, and horses would have perished, +is well established. That he would soon recover from the severe effects +of these long and trying journeys must also have been of great value in +their eyes. But however much they valued him for his usefulness, they +seem not to have had the slightest veneration for him, as they had for +some other animals. I am led to believe, then, that it was his great +usefulness in crossing the sandy deserts that led to his production. It +is a proof, also, that where the ass was at hand there also was the +horse, or the mule could not have been produced. Any people with +sufficient knowledge to produce the mule would also have had sufficient +knowledge to discover the difference between him and the horse, and +would have given the preference to the horse in all service except that +I have just described. And yet, in the early history of the world, we +find men of rank, and even rulers, using them on state and similar +occasions; and this when it might have been supposed that the horse, +being the nobler animal, would have made more display. + +The Scriptures tell us that Absalom, when he led the rebel hosts against +his father David, rode on a mule, that he rode under an oak, and hung +himself by the hair of his head. Then, again, we hear of the mule at the +inauguration of King Solomon. It is but reasonable to suppose that the +horse would have been used on that great occasion, had he been present. +On the other hand, it is not reasonable to suppose that the ass, or any +thing pertaining to him, was held in high esteem by a nation that +believed they were commanded by God, through their prophet Moses, not to +work the ox and the ass together. It must be inferred from this that the +ass was not held in very high esteem, and that the prohibition was for +the purpose of not degrading the ox, he being of that family of which +the perfect males were used for sacrifice. The ass, of course, was never +allowed to appear on the sacred altar. And yet He who came to save our +fallen race, and open the gates of heaven, and fulfil the words of the +prophet, rode a female of this apparently degraded race of animals when +He made his triumphal march into the city of the temple of the living +God. + + +List of Mules Received, died, and Shot, at the Depot of Washington, +D.C., from 1st February, 1863. to 31st July, 1866. + + 1863 1864 1865 + +Month Received Died Shot Received Died Shot Received Died Shot + +Jan. .. .. .. 624 14 76 3,677 66 226 +Feb. 135 96 7 329 16 62 1,603 84 150 +Mar. 2,552 150 4 448 10 64 2,823 77 169 +Apr. 2,906 118 61 1,305 15 47 6,102 106 223 +May. 1,087 56 46 2,440 18 52 11,780 68 211 +Jun. 3,848 120 118 4,410 76 48 19,304 178 49 +Jul. 1,731 94 335 4,702 74 125 13,398 462 68 +Aug. 5,250 51 159 5,431 88 231 1,275 284 23 +Sep. 2,834 72 248 1,198 64 176 1,536 3 18 +Oct. 1,166 36 202 1,468 81 134 876 .. .. +Nov. 2,934 30 204 3,036 35 123 252 3 .. +Dec. 2,832 14 113 3,923 66 158 324 4 .. + +Total 27,275 837 1,497 29,414 557 1,296 62,950 1,335 1,137 + + 1866 +Received Died Shot + + 169 .. .. + 34 2 1 + 13 .. .. + 29 1 .. + 20 1 .. + 2 .. .. + 62 .. .. + .. .. .. + .. .. .. + .. .. .. + .. .. .. + .. .. .. + + 329 4 1 + + + +DATE RECEIVED DIED SHOT +1863............. 27,275 837 1,497 +1864............. 29,414 557 1,296 +1865.............. 62,950 1,335 1,137 +1866.............. 329 4 1 + +Total........... 119,968 2,733 3,931 + + + +PICTURES OF SOME OF OUR MOST CELEBRATED ARMY MULES. + +I have had photographs taken of some of our mules. A number of these +animals performed extraordinary service in connection with the Army of +the Potomac and the Western Army. One of them, a remarkable animal, made +the great circuit of Sherman's campaign, and has an historical interest. +I propose to give you these illustrations according to their numbers. + +No.1, then, is a very remarkable six-mule team. It was fitted out at +Berryville, Maryland, early in the spring of 1861, under the directions +of Captain Sawtelle, A. Q. M. They are all small, compact mules, and I +had them photographed in order to show them together. The leaders and +swing, or, as some call them, the middle leaders, have been worked +steadily together in the same team since December 31, 1861. They have +also been driven by the same driver, a colored man, of the name of +Edward Wesley Williams. He was with Captain Sawtelle until the 1st of +March, 1862; was then transferred, with his team, to the City of +Washington, and placed under a wagon-master of the name of Horn, who +belonged to Harrisburg, Pa. Wesley took good care of his team, and was +kept at constant work with it in Washington, until May 14, 1862. He was +then transferred, with his team, to a train that was ordered to join +General McClellan at Fort Monroe. He then followed the fortunes of the +Army of the Potomac up the Peninsula; was at the siege of Yorktown, the +battle of Williamsburg, and in the swamps of the Chickahominy. He was +also in the seven days' battles, and brought up at Harrison's Landing +with the Army of the Potomac. He then drove his team back to Fort +Monroe, where they were shipped, with the animals of the Army of the +Potomac, for Washington. He was set to work as soon as he reached a +landing, and participated in hauling ammunition at the second battle of +Bull Run. He then followed the army to Antietam, and from that +battle-field to Fredericksburg, where he hauled ammunition during the +terrible disaster under General Burnside. The team then belonged to a +train of which John Dorny was wagon-master. When General Hooker took +command of the army this team followed him through the Chancellorville +and Chantilly fights. It also followed the Army of the Potomac until +General Grant took command, when the train it belonged to was sent to +City Point. This brings us up to 1864. It was with the army in front of +Petersburg, and, during that winter, the saddle mule was killed by the +enemy's shot while the team was going for a load of wood. In short, they +were worked every day until Richmond was taken. In June, 1865, they were +transferred back to the City of Washington. It is now August, 1866, and +they are still working in the train, and make one of the very best teams +we have. I refer now to the leaders and swing mules, as they are the +only four that are together, and that followed the Army of the Potomac +through all its campaigns. There is not a mule of the four that is over +fourteen and a half hands high, and not one that weighs over nine +hundred pounds. This team, I ought to add here, has frequently been +without a bite of hay or grain for four or five days, and nothing to eat +but what they could pick up along the road. And there are instances when +they have been twenty-four hours without a sup of water. The experienced +eye will see that they have round, compact bodies, and stand well on +their feet. + +No. 2 is the leader of the team, and for light work on the prairies, +packing, or any similar work, is a model mule. Indeed, she cannot be +surpassed. Her bone and muscle is full, and she is not inclined to run +to flesh. + +No. 3 is the off-leader of the same team. She is a good eater, tough, +hardy, and a good worker,--in every way a first-class mule. I would +advise persons purchasing mules to notice her form. She is a little +sprung in the knees; but this has in no way interfered with her working. +This was occasioned by allowing the heels on her fore-feet to grow out +too much. During, and for some time after, the second battle of Bull +Run, the train to which she belonged was kept at very hard work. The +shoes that were on her at that time, to use the driver's own language, +were "put on to stay." Indeed, he informed me that they were on so long, +that he concluded they had grown to the feet. And in this case, as in +many others, for want of a little knowledge of the peculiarities of a +mule's feet, and the injury that results from over-growth, the animal +had to suffer, and was permanently injured. + +No. 4 is the off-swing, or middle-leader mule. She is perfectly sound, +of good height, a good eater, and a great worker. She is also well +adapted for packing, and a tolerably good rider. Her ears and eyes are +of the very finest kind, and her whole head indicates intelligence. Her +front parts are perfection itself. She is also remarkably kind. + +ILLUSTRATION 1 + +ILLUSTRATION 2 + +ILLUSTRATION 3 + +ILLUSTRATION 4 + +ILLUSTRATION 5 + +ILLUSTRATION 6 + +ILLUSTRATION 7 + +ILLUSTRATION 8 + +ILLUSTRATION 9 + +ILLUSTRATION 10 + +ILLUSTRATION 11 + +ILLUSTRATION 12 + +ILLUSTRATION 13 + +ILLUSTRATION 14 + +No. 5 is the near swing mule, or middle leader. She is what is called a +mouse-color, and is the fattest mule in the team. She underwent the +entire campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, and is to-day without a +blemish, and capable of doing as much work as any mule in the pack. Her +powers of endurance, as well as her ability to withstand starvation and +abuse, are beyond description. I have had mules of her build with me in +trains, in the Western Territories, that endured hardship and starvation +to an extent almost incredible; and yet they were remarkably kind when +well treated, and would follow me like dogs, and, indeed, try to show me +how much they could endure without flinching. + +No. 6 is an off-wheel mule, of ordinary quality. I had to take the +spotted mules from the wheels of this team, as they were not equal to +the work required of them, and got very sore in front. + +No. 7 is a spotted, or, as the. Mexicans call them, a calico mule. He +and his mate were sent to the Army of the Potomac about the time General +Grant took command of it. They were worked as wheel mules in the team +until 1866, when this one, like nearly all spotted animals, showed his +weak parts by letting up in his fore-feet, which became contracted to +such an extent that the surgeon had to cut them nearly off. We were +compelled to let him go barefoot until they grew out. This is one of the +spotted mules I have referred to before. You never can rely on them. + +No. 8 is the mate of No. 7. His bead, ears, and front shoulder indicate +him to be of Canadian stock. His neck and front shoulder, as you will +see, are faultless. But on looking closely at his eyes you will find +them to be sore, and running water continually. I have noticed that +nearly all animals in the army that are marked in this way have weak and +inflamed eyes. A farmer should never purchase them. + +No. 9 is a swing mule that has undergone a great deal of hardship. She +is tolerably well formed but inclined to kick. She is also hard to keep +in good condition, and unless great care is taken with her she would +give out in the hind feet, where she now shows considerable fullness. +When a mule's neck lacks the ordinary thickness there must be some +direct cause for it, and you should set about finding out what it is. +Lack of food is sometimes the cause. But in my opinion creased neck very +frequently so affects the passages to and from the head, that the organs +that should work in depositing flesh, fat, or muscle become deranged, +and the neck becomes weak and in a disordered state. Purchasers would do +well to discard these creased-neck mules. + +No. 10 is an animal of an entirely different character from No. 9. She +is remarkably gentle and tractable, of good form, and great endurance, +and will work in any way. She is fifteen hands and one inch high, weighs +ten hundred and fifty pounds, and is seven years old. This celebrated +animal went through all of General Sherman's campaigns, and is as sound +and active to-day as a four-year old. + +No. 11 is one of those peculiar animals I have described elsewhere. He +is all bones and belly. His legs are long, and of little use as legs. He +is five years old, sixteen and a half hands high, and weighs thirteen +hundred and ninety pounds. One of his hind legs shows a thorough pin. +His hocks are all out of shape, and his legs are stuck into his hoofs on +nearly the same principle that you stick a post into the ground. The +reason why his pastern-joints show so straight is, that the heels on the +hind feet have been badly trimmed when shaving. They too have been +permitted to grow too long, and thus he is thrown into the position you +now see him. This mule belongs to a class that is raised to a +considerable extent, and prized very highly in Pennsylvania. In the army +they were of very little use except to devour forage. + +No. 12 is what may be called a pack mule of the first class. He is seven +years old, fifteen and a half hands high, and weighs eleven hundred and +fifty-six pounds. This animal has endured almost incredible hardships. +He is made for it, as you will readily see. He is what is called a +portly mule, but is not inclined to run to belly unless over-fed and not +worked. He has a remarkably kind disposition, is healthy, and a good +feeder. This animal has but one evil to contend with. His off hind foot +has grown too long, and plainly shows how much too far back it throws +the pastern-joint. This is in a measure the effect of bad shoeing. It is +very rare to find a blacksmith who discovers this fact until it is too +late. Now there is nothing more easy than to ruin a mule by letting his +toes grow too long. Doctor L.H. Braley, chief veterinary surgeon of the +army, is now developing a plan for shoeing mules, which I consider the +very best that has been suggested. His treatment of the foot when well, +and how to keep it so; and how to treat the foot by shoeing when it +becomes injured, is the best that can be adopted. + +No. 13 is a mule that has been worked in a two-mule train which has been +in my charge for about a year. She was previously worked in a six-mule +train, as the off-wheel mule. She is five years old, rising; size, +fifteen hands and three inches high, and weighs fourteen hundred and +twenty-two pounds. She was received into the Government service at +Wheeling, Virginia, and when shipped or transferred to this depot, with +four hundred others, was but two years old, rising three. She was +worked, at least a year or more, too young; and to this cause I +attribute certain injuries which I shall speak of hereafter. This mule, +with two hundred others, was transferred to the Army of the Potomac, and +went through its campaigns from 1864 up to the fall of Richmond. She is +an excellent worker, and her neck, head, and fore shoulders are as fine +as can be. Indeed, they are a perfect development of the horse. But her +hips or flank joints are very deficient. Owing to her being worked too +young, the muscles of the hind legs have given way, and they have become +crooked. This is done frequently by the animal being placed as a wheeler +when too young, and holding back under a heavy load. If you want to see +how quick you can ruin young mules, place them in the wheels. + +No. 14 is the off-wheel mule of a six-mule team. I had this mule +photographed for the purpose of showing the effects of hitching animals +so short to the team that the swingle-tree will strike or rest on their +hocks. I referred to this great evil in another place. This mule is but +six years old, sixteen hands high, and weighs nearly sixteen hundred +pounds. Aside from the hocks, she is the best made and the best looking +mule in the park; and is also a remarkably good worker. You will notice, +however, that the caps of her hocks are so swollen and calloused by the +action of the swingle-tree as to make them permanently disfigured. The +position I have placed this mule in, as relates to the wagon wheel, is +the proper position to put all wild, green, contrary or stubborn mules +in when they are hard to bridle. + +This is the severest use to which a lariat can be put on mule or horse. +The person using it, however, should be careful to see that it sets well +back to the shoulder of the animal. I refer now to the part of the loop +that is around the neck. The end of the lariat should always be held by +a man, and not made fast to any part of the wagon, so that if the animal +falls or throws himself, you can slack up the lariat and save him from +injury. Three applications of the buck will conquer them so thoroughly +that you will have little trouble afterwards. Be careful to keep the +lariat, in front, as high as the mule's breast; and see also that they +are pulled up close to the front wheel before pulling it through the +hind wheel. + + +DISEASES COMMON TO THE MULE, AND HOW THEY SHOULD BE TREATED. + +The mule does not differ materially from the horse in the diseases he is +afflicted with. He however suffers less from them, owing to lack of +sensibility. It may be useful here to make a few remarks on the various +diseases he is subject to, and to recommend a course of treatment which +I have practiced and seen practiced, and which I believe is the best +that can be applied. + +DISTEMPER IN COLTS. + +This disease is peculiar to young mules. Its symptoms develop with +soreness and swelling of the glands of the throat, a cough, difficulty +of swallowing, discharging at the nostrils, and general prostration. If +not properly treated it is surely fatal. + +TREATMENT:--Give light bran mashes, plenty of common salt, and keep the +animal in a warm and dry stable. You need not clothe, for the mule, +unlike the horse, is not used to clothing. If the swelling under the +throat shows a disposition to ulcerate, which it generally does, do +nothing to prevent it. Encourage the ulcer, and let it come to a head +gradually, for this is the easiest and most natural way that the +trouble, which at first seems to pervade the whole system, can be got +rid of. When the ulcer appears soft enough to lance, do so, and be +careful to avoid the glands and veins. Lance through the skin in the +soft spot, which appears almost ready to break. If the throat is at any +time so swollen as to render swallowing difficult, give water +frequently, about milk warm, with nourishing feed of oats, corn, or rye +meal--the last is the best. If this treatment, which is very simple, be +carefully carried out, few animals will fail to recover. + +CATARRH OR COLDS. + +This disease seldom attacks the mule. We have had many thousands of them +in camp, and out of the whole number, I do not recollect of a case where +it either destroyed or disabled a single animal. In fact, it is a +question with me whether mules will take cold when kept as the +Government keeps them--camped out, or standing in sheds where the +temperature is the same as outdoors. + +GLANDERS. + +This is one of the most destructive of diseases with which the horse +family is afflicted, and one that has set the best veterinary skill of +the world at defiance. A remedy for it has yet to be discovered. I have +deemed it proper here, however, to carefully describe its symptoms, and +to recommend that all animals showing symptoms of it be kept by +themselves until their case be definitely ascertained. When you have +ascertained to a certainty that they are afflicted with the disease, +destroy them as quick as possible. See, too, that the place where they +have been kept is thoroughly cleansed and sprinkled with lime, for the +disease is contagious and the slightest particle of virus will spread it +anew. Farcy is but one stage of this terrible disease, but is not +necessarily fatal while in this stage. It should, however, be treated +with great care and caution. Farcy can also be conveyed to others by +inoculation. Any one who has had the field for observation the author +has for the last four years, would become convinced that the +recommendations I am about to make describe the only course to be taken +with this contagious disease. The number of its victims under my +observation were counted by thousands. All that can be done is to +prevent, if possible, the disease taking place, and to destroy when +ascertained to a certainty that the animal has contracted it. I would +say here, however, that this subject will soon be thoroughly handled in +a work soon to be published by Doctor Braley, head veterinary surgeon of +the army. He will undoubtedly throw some light on the subject that has +not yet appeared in print. + +SYMPTOMS. + +First:--When it appears in a natural form, without the agency of +contagion or inoculation, dryness of the skin, entire omission of +insensible perspiration, starring of the coat. Sometimes slight +discoloring can be observed about the forehead and lower part of the +ears. Drowsiness, want of lustre in the eye, slight swelling on the +inside of the hind legs, extending up to the bu-boa. This condition of +things may continue for several days, and will be followed by +enlargement between the legs. The inflammation incident to this may +entirely subside, or it may continue to enlarge, and break out in ulcers +on the _lactiles_ of the lymphatic, which accompanies the large veins. +In the last case it has appeared in the form of Farcy. This being the +case, the countenance assumes a more cheerful look, and the animal +otherwise shows signs of relief from the discharges of poisonous matter. +If it remain in this state, death is not generally the result. If the +system be toned up it will sometimes heal, and the animal will seem to +be in a recovering state of health. Yet, from watching the symptoms and +general health of the animal afterwards, you will be convinced that the +disease is only checked, not eradicated. Acting in the system, it only +waits a favorable opportunity to act as a secondary agent in colds, +general debility, or exposure, when it will make its appearance and +produce death. + +But in the first case, as shown by the swelling in the hind legs, if the +swelling disappear, and general debility of the system continues; if the +eyes grow more drowsy, and discharge from the lower corners; and if this +is followed by discharge from the nostrils, slight swelling and +hardening of the sub-maxillary glands, which are between the under jaws, +then it is clearly developed glanders. All the glands in the body have +now become involved or poisoned, and death must follow in the course of +ten or fifteen days, as the constitution of the animal may not be in a +condition to combat the disease. + +If this disease be annoyed by inoculation from the _farcy heads_ of +farcied animals into suppurating sores on other animals, it will be very +slow in its progress, especially if it attack the other in a region +remote from the lymphatic. If in a saddle-gall, it will make sores very +difficult to heal. If there is any such thing as checking the disease in +its progress, it is in these three cases. + +I have observed that when it has been taken in a sore mouth it has +followed down the cheek to the sub-maxillary gland, and ended in a clear +case of glanders or farcy. There is another form in which this disease +can be taken, and which is, of all others, the most treacherous and +dangerous, yet never producing death without the agency of other +diseases--always carrying with it the germs of infection, and ready to +convey it to debilitated subjects and cause their death. The animal will +still live himself, and show no sign of disease further than I am about +to describe in the position. It is that which is taken in at the +nostrils and attacks the sub-maxillary glands, which become enlarged and +will remain so. When these become overloaded there will be a discharge +at the nose. That being thrown off, it may be some time before any +further discharge will be seen from the same source. In some cases, when +the discharge is constant, this can be easily distinguished from gleet +or ozena, from the healthy and natural appearance of the membranes of +the nose, which at first are pale, then become fiery red or purple. In +gleet the discharges from the nostrils, as in ozena, are of a very light +color. In glanders they are first of a deep yellow, then of a dirty +gray--almost slate color. + +Mules affected with glanders of this kind, although it may seem hard +from their otherwise healthy appearance, should be destroyed. They +indeed carry with them the germs of infection and death, without any +visible marks in their appearance to warn those who have the care of +animals against their danger. + +TEETHING. + +As mules seldom change hands to any great extent until two or three +years old, it is not deemed necessary here to say any thing of their age +until they have reached two years, so as to give the inexperienced a +wider scope. The mule's mouth undergoes exactly the same changes as the +horse's. Between the ages of two and three these changes begin to take +place in the mule's mouth. The front incisor teeth, two above and two +below, are replaced by the horse for permanent teeth. These teeth are +larger than the others, have two grooves in the outer converse surface, +and the mark is long, narrow, deep, and black. Not having attained their +full growth, they are somewhat lower than the others, the mark in the +two next nippers being nearly worn out, and is also wearing away in the +corner nippers. + +A mule at three years old ought to have the central permanent nippers +growing, the other two pairs uniting, six grinders in each jaw, above +and below, the first and fifth level with the others, and the sixth +protruding. As the permanent nippers wear and continue to grow, a narrow +portion of the cone-shaped tooth is exposed to the attrition; and they +look as if they had been compressed. This is not so, however; the mark +of some gradually disappears as the pit is worn away. At the age of +three and a half or four years the next pair of nippers will be changed, +and the mouth at that time cannot be mistaken. The central nippers will +have nearly attained their full growth, and a vacuity will be left where +the second stood; or, they will begin to peep above the gum, and the +corner ones will be diminished in breadth and worn down, the mark +becoming small and faint. At this period also the second pair of +grinders will be shed. At four years the central nippers will be fully +developed, the sharp edges somewhat worn off, and the marks shorter, +wider, and fainter. The next pair will be up, but they will be small, +with the mark deep and extending quite across. Their corner nippers will +be larger than the inside ones, yet smaller than they were, and flat, +and nearly worn out. The sixth grinder will have risen to a level with +the others; and the tushes will begin to appear in the male animal. The +female seldom has them, although the germ is always present in the jaw. +At four years and a half, or between that and five, the last important +change takes place in the mouth of the mule. The corner nippers are +shed, and the permanent ones begin to appear. When the central nippers +are considerably worn, and the next pair are showing marks of wear, the +tush will have protruded, and will generally be a full half inch in +height. Externally it has a rounded prominence, with a groove on either +side, and is evidently hollow within. At six years old the mark on the +central nippers is worn out. There will, however, still be a difference +of color in the center of the tooth. The cement filling up the hole made +by the dipping in of the enamel, will present a browner hue than the +other part of the tooth. It will be surrounded by an edge of enamel, and +there will remain a little depression in the center, and also a +depression around the case of the enamel. But the deep hole in the +center of the enamel, with the blackened surface it presents, and the +elevated edge of the enamel, will have disappeared. The mule may now be +said to have a perfect mouth, all the teeth being produced and fully +grown. + +What I have said above must not be taken as a positive guide in all +cases, for mules' mouths are frequently torn, twisted, smashed, and +knocked into all kinds of shapes by cruel treatment, and the +inexperience, to use no harsher term, of those who have charge of them. +Indeed, I have known cases of cruelty so severe that it were impossible +to tell the age of the animal from his teeth. + +At seven years old the mark, in the way in which I have described it, is +worn out in the four central nippers, and is also fast wearing away in +the corner teeth. I refer now to a natural mouth that has not been +subjected to injuries. At eight years old the mark is gone from all the +bottom nippers, and may be said to be quite out of the mouth. There is +nothing remaining in the bottom nippers by which the age of the mule can +be positively ascertained. The tushes are a poor guide at any time in +the life of the animal to ascertain his age by; they, more than any +other of the teeth, being most exposed to the injuries I have referred +to. From this time forward, the changes that take place in the teeth may +be of some assistance in forming an opinion; but there are no marks in +the teeth by which a year, more or less, can be positively ascertained. +You can ascertain almost as much from the general appearance of the +animal as from an examination of the mouth. The mule, if he be +long-lived, has the same effect in changing his general appearance from +youth to old age as is shown on the rest of the animal creation. + +DISEASES OF THE TEETH. + +There are few if any diseases to which the mule's teeth are subject, +after the permanent teeth are developed; but during the time of their +changes I have been led to believe that he suffers more inconvenience, +or at least as much as any other animal--not so much on account of the +suffering that nature inflicts upon him, as through the inexperience and +cruelty of those who are generally intrusted with his care. I will here +speak first of lampass. The animal's mouth is made sore and sensitive by +teething; and this irritation and soreness is increased by the use of +improper bits. As if this were not enough, resort is had to that +barbarous and inhuman practice of burning out lampass. This I do, and +always have protested against. If the gums are swollen from the cutting +of teeth, which is about all the cause for their inflamed and enlarged +appearance, a light stroke of a lancet or sharp knife over the gums, at +a point where the teeth are forcing their way through, and a little +regard to the animal's diet, will be all that is necessary. It must not +be forgotten, that at this time the animal's mouth is too sore and +sensitive to masticate hard food, such as corn. With the development of +the teeth, however, the lampass will generally disappear. + +THE EYE. + +Mules are remarkable for having good eyes. Occasionally they become +inflamed and sore. In such cases the application of cold water, and the +removing of the cause, whether it be from chafing of the blinders, +forcing the blood to the head through the influence of badly fitting +collars, or any other cause known, is all I can recommend in their case. + +THE TONGUE. + +Mules suffer much from injury to the tongue, caused by the bad treatment +of those who have charge of them, and also from sore month, produced in +the same manner. The best thing for this is a light decoction of +white-oak bark, applied with a sponge to the sore parts. Charcoal, mixed +in water, and applied in the same manner, is good. Any quantity of this +can be used, as it is not dangerous. If possible, give the animal +nourishing gruels, or bran mashes; and, above all, keep the bit out of +the mouth until it is perfectly healed. + +POLL-EVIL. + +This is a disease the mule more than all other animals is subject to. +This is more particularly so with those brought into the service of the +Government unbroken. + +It will be very easily seen that the necessary course of training, +halter-breaking, &c., will expose them to many of the causes of this +disease. Aside from this, the inhuman treatment of teamsters, and others +who have charge of them, frequently produces it in its worst form. It +begins with an ulcer or sore at the junction where the head and neck +join; and from its position, more than any other cause, is very +difficult to heal. The first thing to be done, when the swelling +appears, is to use hot fomentations. If these are not at hand, use cold +water frequently. Keep the bridle and halter from the parts. In case +inflammation cannot be abated, and ulceration takes place, the only +means to effect a cure, with safety and certainty, is by the use of the +seton. This should be applied only by a hand well skilled in the use of +it. The person should also well understand the anatomy of the parts, as +injuries committed with the seton-needle, in those parts, are often more +serious and more difficult of cure than the disease caused by the first +injury. + +FISTULA. + +This is a disease the mule is more subject to than any other animal in +Government use. And this, on account of his being used as a beast of +burden by almost all nations and classes of people, and because he is +the worst cared for. Fistula is the result of a bruise. Some animals +have been known to produce it by rolling on stones and other hard +substances. It generally makes its appearance first in the way of a rise +or swelling where the saddle has been allowed to press too hard on the +withers, and especially when the animal has high and lean ones. As the +animal becomes reduced in flesh, the withers, as a matter of course, are +more exposed and appear higher, on account of the muscle wasting from +each side of the back-bone. This, under the saddle, can be remedied to a +great extent, by adding an additional fold to the saddle blanket, or in +making the pad of the saddle high enough to keep it from the withers. In +packing with the pack-saddle this is more difficult, as the weight is +generally a dead, heavy substance, and as the animal steps low or high, +the pack does the same. Much, however, might be done by care in packing, +to prevent injury to the withers and bruising of the back-bone. When the +withers begin to swell and inflammation sets in, or a tumor begins to +form, the whole may be driven away and the fistula scattered or avoided +by frequent or almost constant applications of cold water--the same as +is recommended in poll-evil. But if, in despite of this, the swelling +should continue or become larger, warm fomentations, poultices, and +stimulating embrocations should be applied, in order to bring the +protuberance to its full formation as soon as possible. When full, a +seton should be passed, by a skillful hand, from the top to the bottom +of the tumor, so that all the pus may have free access of escape. The +incision should be kept free until all the matter has escaped and the +wound shows signs of healing. The after treatment must be similar to +that recommended in the case of poll-evil. The above treatment, if +properly administered, will in nearly all cases of _fistula_ effect a +cure. + +COLLAR-GALLS. + +Sore necks, saddle-galls, and stilfasts, are a species of injury and +sore, which are in many cases very difficult of cure, especially +saddle-galls on mules that have to be ridden every day. One of the best +remedies for saddle gall is to heighten the saddle up as much as +possible, and bathe the back with cold water as often as an opportunity +affords. In many cases this will drive the fever away and scatter the +trouble that is about to take place. This, however, does not always +scatter, for the trouble will often continue, a root forming in the +center of what we call the saddle-gall. The edges of this will be clear, +and the stilfast hold only by the root. I have had many cases of this +kind occur with the mule, both on his back and neck, mostly caused on +the latter part by the collar being too loose. And I have found but one +way to effectually cure them. Some persons advise cutting, which I think +is too tedious and painful to the animal. My advice is to take a pair of +pincers, or forceps of any kind, and pull it out. This done, bathe +frequently with cold water, and keep the collar or saddle as much free +of the sore as possible. This will do more towards relieving the animal +and healing the injury than all the medicine you can give. A little +soothing oil, or grease free from salt, may be rubbed lightly on the +parts as they begin to heal. This is a very simple but effective remedy. + +THRUSH. + +This is another trouble with which the mule is afflicted. Cut away the +parts of the frog that seem to be destroyed, clean the parts well with +castile-soap, and apply muriatic acid. If you have not this at hand, a +little tar mixed with salt, and placed on oakum or tow, and applied, +will do nearly as well. Apply this every day, keeping the parts well +dressed, and the feet according to directions in shoeing, and the +trouble will soon disappear. + +CHEST FOUNDERS. + +Mules are not subject to this disease. Some persons assert that they +are, but it is a mistake. These persons mistake for founder in the chest +what is nothing more than a case of contraction of the feet. I have +repeatedly seen veterinary surgeons connected with the army, on being +asked what was the trouble with a mule, look wise, and declare the +complaint chest founder, swelling of the shoulders, &c. I was inclined +to put some faith in the wisdom of these gentlemen, until Doctor Braley, +chief veterinary surgeon of the department of Washington, produced the +most convincing proofs that it was almost an impossibility for these +animals to become injured in the shoulder. When mules become sore in +front, look well to their feet, and in nine cases out of ten, you will +find the cause of the trouble there. In very many cases a good practical +shoer can remove the trouble by proper paring and shoeing. + +BLEEDING. + +It was always a subject of inquiry with me, who originated the system of +bleeding; and why it was that all kinds of doctors and physicians +persist in taking the stream of life itself from the system in order to +preserve life. In the case of General Washington, which I copy from the +_Independent Chronicle_ of Boston, January 6, 1800, the editor, using +"James Craik, physician, and Elisha C. Dick, physician," as authority, +states that a bleeder was procured in the neighborhood, who took from +the General's arm from twelve to fourteen ounces of blood, in the +morning; and in the afternoon of the same day was bled copiously twice. +More than that, it was agreed upon by these same enlightened doctors, to +try the result of another blood-letting, by which thirty two ounces more +was drawn. And, wonderful as it may seem to the intelligent mind at this +day, they state that all this was done without the slightest alleviation +of the disease. The world has become more wise now, and experience has +shown how ridiculous this system of bleeding was. What is true in regard +to the human system is also true in regard to the animal. There are some +extreme cases in which I have no doubt moderate bleeding might render +relief. But these cases are so few that it should only be suffered to be +done by an experienced, careful, and skillful person. My advice is, +avoid it in all cases where you can. + +COLIC. + +The mule is quite subject to this complaint. It is what is commonly +known as belly-ache. Over doses of cold water will produce it. There is +nothing, however, so likely to produce it in the mule as changes of +grain. + +Musty corn will also produce it, and should never be given to animals. I +recollect, in 1856, when I was in New Mexico, at Fort Union, we had +several mules die from eating what is termed Spanish or Mexican corn, a +small blue and purplish grain. It was exceedingly hard and flinty, and, +in fact, more like buckshot than grain. We fed about four quarts of this +to the mule, at the first feed. The result was, they swelled up, began +to pant, look round at their sides, sweat above the eyes and at the +flanks. Then they commenced to roll, spring up suddenly, lie down again, +roll and try to lie on their backs. Then they would spring up, and after +standing a few seconds, fall down, and groan, and pant. At length they +would resign themselves to what they apparently knew to be their fate, +and die. And yet, singular as it may seem, the animal could be +accustomed to this grain by judicious feeding at first. + +We did not know at that time what to give the animal to relieve or cure +him; and the Government lost hundreds of valuable animals through our +want of knowledge. Whenever these violent cases appear, get some common +soap, make a strong suds and drench the mule with it. I have found in +every case where I used it that the mule got well. It is the alkali in +the soap that neutralizes the gases. There is another good receipt, and +it is generally to be found in camp. Take two ounces of saleratus, put +it into a pint of water, shake well, and then drench with the same. +Above all things, keep whisky and other stimulants away, as they only +serve to aggravate the disease. + +PHYSICKING. + +This is another of those imaginary cures resorted to by persons having +charge of mules. Very many of these persons honestly believe that it is +necessary to clean the animal out every spring with large doses of +poisonous and other truck. This, they say, ought to be given to loosen +the hide, soften the hair, &c. In my opinion it does very little good. +If his dung gets dry, and his hair hard and crispy, give him bran mashes +mixed with his grain, and a teaspoonful of salt at each feed. If there +is grass, let him graze a few hours every day. This will do more towards +softening his coat and loosening his bowels than any thing else. When +real disease makes its appearance, it is time to use medicines; but they +should be applied by some one who thoroughly understands them. + +STRINGHALT. + +This sometimes occurs in the mule. It is a sudden, nervous, quick jerk +of either or both of the hind legs. In the mule it frequently shows but +little after being worked an hour or so. It is what I regard as +unsoundness, and a mule badly affected with it is generally of but +little use. It is often the result of strains, caused by backing, +pulling and twisting, and heavy falls. You can detect it in its +slightest form by turning the animal short around to the right or to the +left. Turn him in the track he stands in, as near as possible, and then +back him. If he has it, one of these three ways will develop its +symptoms. There are a great many opinions as to the soundness or +unsoundness of an animal afflicted with this complaint. If I had now a +good animal afflicted with it, the pain caused to my feelings by looking +at it would be a serious drawback. + +CRAMP. + +I have now under my charge several mules that are subject to this +complaint. It does not really injure them for service, but it is very +disagreeable to those having them in charge. It frequently requires from +half an hour to two hours to get them rubbed so as the blood gets to its +proper circulation, and to get them to walk without dragging their legs. +In cases where they are attacked violently, they will appear to lose all +use of their legs. I have known cases when a sudden stroke with a light +piece of board, so as to cause a surprise, would drive it away. In other +cases sudden application of the whip would have the same effect. + +SPAVIN. + +It is generally believed that the mule does not inherit this disease. +But this is not altogether true. Small, compact mules, bred after the +jack, are indeed not subject to it. On the contrary, large mules, bred +from large, coarse mares, are very frequently afflicted with it. The +author has under his charge at the present time quite a number of those +kind of mules, in which this disease is visible. At times, when worked +hard, they are sore and lame. The only thing to be recommended in this +case is careful treatment, and as much rest at intervals as it is +possible to give them. Hand rubbing and application of stimulant +liniments, or tincture of arnica, is about all that can be done. The old +method of firing and blistering only puts the animal to torture and the +owner to expense. A cure can never be effected through it, and therefore +should never be tried. + +RINGBONE. + +These appear on the same kind of large, bony mules as referred to in +cases of spavin, and are incurable. They can, however, be relieved by +the same process as recommended in spavin. Relief can also be afforded +by letting the heels of the affected feet grow down to considerable +length, or shoeing with a high-heeled shoe, and thus taking the weight +or strain off the injured parts. The only way to make the best use or an +animal afflicted with this disease, is to abandon experiments to effect +a cure, as they will only be attended with expense and disappointment. + +MANGE. + +Mules are subject to this disease when kept in large numbers, as in the +army. This is peculiarly a cuticle disease, like the itch in the human +system, and yields to the same course of treatment. A mixture of sulphur +and hog's lard, one pint of the latter to two of the former. Rub the +animal all over, then cover with a blanket. After standing two days, +wash him clean with soft-soap and water. After this process has been +gone through, keep the animal blanketed for a few days, as he will be +liable to take cold. Feed with bran mashes, plenty of common salt, and +water. This will relieve the bowels all that is necessary, and can +scarcely fail of effecting a cure. Another method, but not so certain in +its effect, is to make a decoction of tobacco, say about one pound of +the stems to two gallons of water, boiled until the strength is +extracted from the weed, and when cool enough, bathe the mule well with +it from head to foot, let him dry off, and do not curry him for a day or +two. Then curry him well, and if the itching appear again, repeat the +bathing two or three times, and it will produce a cure. The same +treatment will apply in case of lice, which frequently occurs where +mules are kept in large numbers. Mercury should never be used in any +form, internally or externally, on an animal so much exposed as the +mule. + +GREASE-HEEL. + +Clean the parts well with castile-soap and warm water. As soon as you +have discovered the disease, stop wetting the legs, as that only +aggravates it, and use ointment made from the following substances: +Powdered charcoal, two ounces; lard or tallow, four ounces; sulphur, two +ounces. Mix them well together, then rub the ointment in well with your +hand on the affected parts. If the above is not at hand, get gunpowder, +some lard or tallow, in equal parts, and apply in the same manner. If +the animal be poor, and his system need toning up, give him plenty of +nourishing food, with bran mash mixed plentifully with the grain. Add a +teaspoonful of salt two or three times a day, as it will aid in keeping +the bowels open. If the stable bottoms, or floors, or yards are filthy, +see that they are properly cleaned, as filthiness is one of the causes +of this disease. The same treatment will apply to scratches, as they are +the same disease in a different form. + +To avoid scratches and grease-heel during the winter, or indeed at any +other season, the hair on the mule's heels should never be cut. Nor +should the mud, in winter season, be washed off, but allowed to dry on +the animal's legs, and then rubbed off with hay or straw. This washing, +and cutting the hair off the legs, leave them without any protection, +and is, in many cases, the cause of grease-heel and scratches. + +SHOES, SHOEING, AND THE FOOT. + +The foot, its diseases, and how to shoe it properly, is a subject much +discussed among horsemen. Nearly every farrier and blacksmith has a way +of his own for curing diseased feet, and shoeing. No matter how absurd +it may be, he will insist that it has merits superior to all others, and +it would be next to impossible to convince him of his error. Skillful +veterinarians now understand perfectly all the diseases peculiar to the +foot, and the means of effecting a cure. They understand, also, what +sort of shoe is needed for the feet of different animals. Latterly +number of shoes have been invented and patented, all professing to be +exactly what is wanted to relieve and cure diseased feet of all kinds. +One man has a shoe he calls "_concave_," and says it will cure +contraction, corns, thrush, quarter-crack, toe-crack, &c., &c. But when +you come to examine it closely, you will find it nothing more than a +nicely dressed piece of iron, made almost in the shape of a half moon. +After a fair trial, however, it will be found of no more virtue in +curing diseases or relieving the animal than the ordinary shoe used by a +country smithy. Another inventive genius springs up and asserts that he +has discovered a shoe that will cure all sorts of diseased feet; and +brings at least a bushel basket full of letters from persons he declares +to be interested in the horse, confirming what he has said of the +virtues of his shoe. But a short trial of this wonderful shoe only goes +to show how little these persons understand the whole subject, and how +easy a matter it is to procure letters recommending what they have +invented. + +Another has a "specific method" for shoeing, which is to cut away the +toe right in the center of the foot, cut away the bars on the inside of +the foot, cut and clean away all around on the inside of the hoof, then +to let the animal stand on a board floor, so that his feet would be in +the position a saucer would represent with one piece broken out at the +front and two at the back. This I consider the most inhuman method in +the art of shoeing. Turn this saucer upside down and see how little +pressure it would bear, and you will have some idea of the cruelty of +applying this "specific method." Sometimes bar-shoes and other +contrivances are used, to keep the inside of the foot from coming down. +But why do this? Why not get at once a shoe adapted to the spreading of +the foot. Tyrell's shoe for this purpose is the best I have yet seen. We +have used it in the Government service for two years, and experience has +taught me that it has advantages that ought not to be overlooked. But +even this shoe may be used to disadvantage by ignorant hands. Indeed, in +the hands of a blacksmith who prefers "his own way," some kinds of feet +may be just as badly injured by it as others are benefited. The United +States Army affords the largest field for gaining practical knowledge +concerning the diseases, especially of the feet, with which horses and +mules are afflicted. During the late war, when so little care was given +to animals in the field, when they were injured in every conceivable +manner, and by all sorts of accidents, the veterinary found a field for +study such as has never been opened before. + +Experience has taught me, that common sense is one of the most essential +things in the treatment of a horse's foot. You must remember that +horses' feet differ as well as men's, and require different treatment, +especially in shoeing. You must shoe the foot according to its +peculiarity and demands, not according to any specific "system of shoe." +Give the ground surface a level bearing, let the frog come to the +ground, and the weight of the mule rest on the frog as much as any other +part of the foot. If it project beyond the shoe, so much the better. +That is what it was made for, and to catch the weight on an elastic +principle. Never, under any circumstances, cut it away. Put two nails in +the shoe on each side, and both forward of the quarters, and one in the +toe, directly in front of the foot. Let those on the sides be an inch +apart, then you will be sure not to cut and tear the foot. Let the nails +and nail-holes be small, for they will then aid in saving the foot. It +will still further aid in saving it by letting the nails run well up +into the hoof, for that keeps the shoe steadier on the foot. The hoof is +just as thick to within an inch of the top, and is generally sounder, +and of a better substance, than it is at the bottom. Keep the first +reason for shoeing apparent in your mind always--that you only shoe your +mule because his feet will not stand the roads without it. And whenever +you can, shoe him with a shoe exactly the shape of his foot. Some +blacksmiths will insist on a shoe, and then cutting and shaping the foot +to it. The first or central surface of the hoof, made hard by the +animal's own peculiar way of traveling, indicates the manner in which he +should be shod. All the art in the world cannot improve this, for it is +the model prepared by nature. Let the shoes be as light as possible, and +without calks if it can be afforded, as the mule always travels unsteady +on them. The Goodenough shoe is far superior to the old calked shoe, and +will answer every purpose where holding is necessary. It is also good in +mountainous countries, and there is no danger of the animal calking +himself with it. I have carefully observed the different effect of +shoes, while with troops on the march. I accompanied the Seventh +Infantry, in 1858, in its march to Cedar Valley, in Utah, a distance of +fourteen hundred miles, and noticed that scarcely a man who wore +regulation shoes had a blister on his feet, while the civilians, who did +not, were continually falling out, and dropping to the rear, from the +effects of narrow and improper shoes and boots. The same is the case +with the animal. The foot must have something flat and broad to bear on. +The first care of those having charge of mules, should be to see that +their feet are kept in as near a natural state as possible. Then, if all +the laws of nature be observed, and strictly obeyed, the animal's feet +will last as long, and be as sound in his domestic state as he would be +in a state of nature. + +The most ordinary observer will soon find that the outer portion or +covering of the mule's foot possesses very little animal life, and has +no sensibility, like the hair or covering of the body. Indeed, the foot +of the horse and mule is a dense block of horn, and must therefore be +influenced and governed by certain chemical laws, which control the +elements that come in contact with it. Hence it was that the feet of +these animals was made to bear on the hard ground, and to be wet +naturally every time the horse drank. Drought and heat will contract and +make hard and brittle the substance of which the feet is composed; while +on the other hand cooling and moisture will expand it, and render it +pliable and soft. Nature has provided everything necessary to preserve +and protect this foot, while the animal is in a natural state; but when +brought into domestic use, it requires the good sense of man, whose +servant he is, to artificially employ those means which nature has +provided, to keep it perfectly healthy. + +When, then, the foot is in a healthy state, wet it at least twice a day; +and do not be content with merely throwing cold water on the outside, +for the foot takes in very little if any moisture through the wall. In +short, it absorbs moisture most through the frog and sole, particularly +in the region where the sole joins the wall. This, if covered by a tight +shoe, closes the medium, and prevents the proper supply. Horses that are +shod should be allowed to stand in moist places as much as possible. Use +clay or loam floors, especially if the horse has to stand much of his +time. Stone or brick is the next best, as the foot of the animal will +absorb moisture from either of these. Dry pine planks are the very +worst, because they attract moisture from the horse's foot. Where +animals have to stand idle much of the time, keep their feet well +stuffed with cow manure at night. That is the best and cheapest +preservative of the feet that you can use. + +ADVICE TO BLACKSMITHS. + +Let me enjoin you, for humanity's sake, that when you first undertake to +shoe a young animal, you will not forget the value of kind treatment. +Keep its head turned away from the glaring fire, the clinking anvil, +&c., &c. Let the man whom he has been accustomed to, the groom or owner, +stand at his head, and talk to him kindly. When you approach him for the +first time, let it be without those implements you are to use in his +shoeing. Speak to him gently, then take up his foot. If he refuse to let +you do this, let the person having him in charge do it. A young animal +will allow this with a person he is accustomed to, when he will repel a +stranger. By treating him kindly you can make him understand what is +wanted; by abusing him you will only frighten him into obstinacy. When +you have got the animal under perfect subjection, examine the foot +carefully, and you will find the heels, at the back part of the frog, +entirely free from that member, which is soft and spongy. When the foot +is down, resting on the ground, grasp the heels in your strong hand, +press them inwards towards the frog, and you will immediately find that +they will yield. You will then see that what yields so easily to the +mere pressure of the hand will expand and spread out when the weight of +the body is thrown on it. This should give you an idea of what you have +to do in shoeing that foot, and your practical knowledge should stand +you well in an argument with any of those "learned professors," who +declare the foot of the mule does not expand or contract. In truth it is +one of its necessary conditions. After being a long time badly shod, +nearly or all of this necessary principle of the foot will be lost. You +should therefore study to preserve it. And here let me give you what +little aid experience has enabled me to do. You will observe the ground +surface of the foot, no matter how high the arch may be, to be at least +half an inch wide, and sometimes more than an inch, with the heels +spread out at the outside quarter. Do not cut away this important brace. +It is as necessary to the heel of the animal, to guard him against +lateral motion, on which the whole of the above structure depends, as +the toes are to the human being. Curve the outside of the shoe nearly to +fit the foot, and you will find the inside heel a little straighter, +especially if the animal be narrow-breasted, and the feet stand close +together. Nature has provided this safeguard to prevent its striking the +opposite leg. After the shoe is prepared to fit the foot, as I have +before described, rasp the bottom level--it will be found nearly so. Do +not put a knife to the sole or the frog. The sole of the foot, remember, +is its life, and the frog its defender. In punching the shoe, two +nail-holes on a side, on a foot like this, are sufficient to hold on a +shoe. Three may be used, if set in their proper places, without injury +to the foot. Practice will teach you that any more nailing than this is +unnecessary. I have used two nails on a side on an animal with not the +best of a foot, and very high action, and he has worn them entirely out +without throwing either of them off. Previous to punching the shoe, +observe the grain of the foot. It will be seen that the fibres of the +hoof run from the top of the foot, or coronary border, towards the toe, +in most feet, at an angle of about forty-five degrees. It will be plain, +then, that if the nails are driven with the grain of the horn, they will +drive much easier, and hold better, and be less liable to cut and crack +the fibers. + +Another benefit can be derived from this process of nailing. When the +foot comes to the ground, the nails act as a brace to keep the foot from +slipping forward off the shoe. This renders that very ingenious foot +destroyer, the toe-clip, unnecessary. Then, in punching the shoe, hold +the top of the pritchell toward the heel of the shoe, so as to get the +hole in the shoe on an angle with the grain of the hoof. Punch the holes +large enough, so that the nails will not bind in the shoe, nor require +unnecessary hammering or bruising of the foot to get them up to their +proper place. Prepare the nails well, point them thin and narrow; and, +as I have said before, use as small a nail as possible. + +When you proceed to nail on the shoe, take a slight hold at the bottom, +so as to be sure that the nail starts in the wall of the foot instead of +the sole. Let it come out as high up as possible. You need not be afraid +of pricking with nails set in this way, as the wall of the foot is as +thick, until you get within half an inch of the top, as it is where you +set the nail. Nails driven in this way injure the feet less, hold on +longer, and are stronger than when driven in any other way. If you have +any doubt of this, test it in this manner: when you take off an old shoe +to set a new one, and cut the clinches (which should be done in all +cases), you will find the old nail and the clinches not started up; and +in drawing the nail out you will also find the foot not slipped or +cracked; and that the horn binds the nail until it is entirely drawn +out. Indeed, I have known the hole to almost close as the nail left it. + +Set the two front nails well towards the toe, so as not to be more than +two inches apart when measured across the bottom of the foot. Let the +next two divide the distance from that to the heel, so as to leave from +two to two and a half inches free of nails, as the form of the foot may +allow. Lastly, before nailing on the shoe, and while it is cold on the +anvil, strike the surface that comes next to the foot on the outside, a +few blows with the hammer, right across the heels, and see also that the +outside of the heels is a shade lowest, so that the animal in throwing +his weight upon them will spread out, and not pinch in his feet. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mule, by Harvey Riley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MULE *** + +***** This file should be named 10878.txt or 10878.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/8/7/10878/ + +Produced by Judith B. 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