The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-05-06
THE MULE.
A Graphic Description Of the Peculiari-
ties of this geological Eccentricity.

A Graphic Description of the PeculiRri-
ties of this Geological Eccentricity.
lfthere is any one animal that can be de-
fined only bya simple proposition of iden-
tity, that animal is a mule. A mule is a
mule. When you have said that, you have
defined him. stigmatiZed him. and given
the only fun and accurate description OF
him.
Zoologically, of course, his solution is
easy enough. He is a compromise, occu-
pying an unenviable geological diagonal
between the horse and the ass, his indi-
viduality depending upon the proportions
of these which combine in his compost
ton. His external features are not diff
cult to portray. They lie within the
skill of an Indifferent artist. But he who
attempts 10 dive down to the hidden
springs Of his character, te analyze his
psychology and search the inward affec-
tiOns of his heart, has task which might
frighten the author of the Novum Oraga-
mum. He has an animal TO describe
which had no place in the garden of Eden,
and which was probably excluded alto
gether from the ark. Yet this four-fo
paradox, this psychological eccentricity,
which, i'm common with its father, has been
the butt of history for ages, has proved TO
be one of the most valuable improve
ments on the zoology of Eden which man
kind has suggested or achieved.
General Washington is credited with in
PRODUCING the mule into this country. 1t
is one of the almost forgotten fruits of his
administration for which we cannot be too
grateful, since both in peace and war the
animal has contributed not little to the
national name and prosperity. There
is now no State in the Union TO which the
mule is entirely stranger; and three of
them, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky,
have become great mule nurseries. But
the field for the mules highest and best
activities Is found west of the Mississippi,
and especially in the new Northwest,
where large numbers are required for the
Government service.
Tothose familiar with the Government
mule, an apology may seem to be needed
for any reference To this animal in plain,
church-going English. In the North
west the mule is victim of a special vO-
cabularv. It is rarely mentioned without
an epithet. The reader, it is hoped, how
ever. will recognize those considerations
of space and propriety which forbid the
writer from making this article contribu-
ton to profane literature.
The Government no sooner adopts a
mule than l. naturalizes him. This is
done by branding him with conspicu-
Gus L :, which distinguishes him from
''privatc and unofficial" mules, and,
through flattering absence of punctud-
tion marks, converts him into public
pronoun in walking opposition with forty
millions of people. lie is then assigned
either 10 pack. saddle, or team duty. ac-
csrling 10 tn wants of the service. Nine
out of ten mules find their sphere of duty
i'm a SiN-mule team, which, when har-
messed TO a Government wagon and driven
bv the typical teamster, is empaticaily an
American, and particularly a Western, in
stitution. Mules are necessary element
in every military movement; and they
are the only means Transportation from
one Government post TO another, where
railroads have not penetrated. In General
Stanley's expedition TO the Yellowstone
River, which the writer accompanied as
correspondent of the New York Tribune,
TWO hundred and eighty of these wagons
and sixteen hundred and eighty draft
mules were required to carry forty days
supplies for a force of twelve hundred in
fantry and about six hundred cavalry. In
the Black Hills expedition, one hundred
aud fifty wagons and nine hundred mules
were necessary to carry sixty days sup
plies for command numbering nine
hundred men and six hundred horses Ii
Is only on expeditions of this kind,
when compelled TO travel a thou
sand miles or more without sight
of house or white man, often
over desert tracts OF country with
poor grass and little water, that the mule
snd the mule vain are appreciated, though
il is ALWAYS on such occasions that the ami
nal is most abused. A wagon train is
then moving village containing every
thing which is necessary for the success ol
the expedition, which must be absolutely
self-supporting. Ii is important TO econo-
mize transportation; consequently the al
lowance of forage is reduced to the mini
mum. Three and half pounds of corn
a day was the limit for each animal on the
Black Hills expedition. Had this amount
been doubled only-even then small al
lowance--it would have required thirty.
seven more wagons and two hundred ano
twenty-five more mules to carry the add
tional forage. For work of this kind. un
der such conditions, horses would abso
lutely fail. The amount of fatigue, expo
sure, and abstinence whicha mule will en-
dure seems almost fabulous. Making
lon0 marches across dusty. shadelesi
nlains- going for long intervals without
water aud with very little food, obligeC
IN null loads sometimes amounting to fiv'
thousand two hundred pounds up steel
hils and through heavy slouehs, sueiec
70 cr,Iel treatment and neglect from IN
teamster. the life of an expedition mule
miserable enough. No wonder that whel
the mule returns, he looks woefully angu
lar and thin. The poor animal is frequent
ly driven until he completely gives onl
when he-is thanklessly turned INTO ~
herd of broken-down mules. There