The sun., 1878-04-13
MULES FOR THE WEST INDIES
JUSTICE TO THE LAUGBED-LT MEDT-
TATIVE BEAST or BURDEN
The Marvellous stomach, the Wonderful
staying Powers. and the General UsefuI-
nes. of the Burden-B Bearer OF the Plains.

The Merveiiou. stomach. the Wonderful
staying Powers, and the General Useful
ness OF the BURDEN -Bearer OF the Plains.
At Grand and Bishop streets in Jersey
City. IL the largest mule yard east Of the Allc-
ghanles and the only yard whence there Is any
expectation to foreign ports. In II the mule Is
seen IN all his native nttractiveness. and every
variety OF mule may be studied at leisure.
Tho great yard. in which IL ample room for
10000 mules. but which Is generally occupied
by 400 or 500. is divided into many smaller
yards. ench OF which contains ranges OF open
sheds. water troughs. hay racks. grent corn
managers. and smaller ones for salt Each OF
these is devoted TO animals destined for differ
ent ports In the West Indies or on the Spanish
main. Here are mules Of all sizes. colors. dis
positions. and degrees Of intelligence. but OF an
average age Of from to years. When by them
selves and unmolestcd by visitors. the majority
OF thom stand In tho attitude OF deep detection.
peculiar to a mule while medtatinR-heads
down and legs wide spread and firmly planted.
But when a visitor enters the yard. It's inmates
are full Of life and activity. They follow him
about. inquisitively smelling OF his clothes.
Watching his every motion. kicking. squcaling,
and biting NJ each other. and easily stampeded
BY sudden gursture.
From this yard between four and five thou
sand mules nre annualk shipped to the planta-
tions of British. French. and Dutch Guiana.
ami 70 Tr!nidqd. Guadaloupe. and other Of the
agents OF the planters mt from $50 to $3.50
apiece, and shipped im sailing vessels at the
$40 per head. and duties on mules are t6 or So
apiece IN the several islands to which they are
sant. mule therefore. is a valuable piece Of
property by the time he reaches his destination.
The great mule breeding States are Illinois,
Missouri. and Iowa. and the large, active
beasts from these States are much priced on the
sugar plantations Of the West Indies. where
they contrast favoraby with the native mules.
iRlsn
nnd with the lazy. elephantine beasts imported
from France.
yard is pen formed like bottle with a long.
slender neck. dozen mules being let into
narrow space at one, end. where they can just
squeeze themselves between the walls. Here
theyundergo the operation ofroaching-that is
their names are trimmed on. with pair of
shears. until nothing remains but a line Vf
short. thick brstles, extending along the back
end is cut from their tails THIS is done because
the hair OF mules name and tail is very thin
and OF poor growth. After the roaching n door
at the forward end OF the narrow enclosure is
opened. and the mule bounces out with kick
and sqpeal, looking as smooth and clean as
yard that Although S I'm sSpR % the
ern cities and as far north rs Philadelphia
mules are very popular for purposes Of heavy
teaming. there is little demand for them in
mand for them. such rs 1t is in these cities. is
decreasing rather than otherwise.
frontiersma whose face is shaded by a SOM
brero with a brim of the broadest. and whose
constant companion is a black-snake whip, that
b. can crack with a,report like pistol. relates
many anecdotes OF mules with whose habits
and capabilities he is thoroughly conversant
HsesWSys Wysa ,or 90, or, ~ .ho r,.,r. vor ,on,
want nothing beuer'n mule. and YOU can't get
nothing better for plains work. They can live
on less and lay Themselves down to more hon
est work. than any critter of their size. Why
stranger. mule kin run down a antelope. and
horses thai could do that Musianss can do i
sometimes. but n mules the best. He won't be
so very speedy. maybe but he's got the bottom
first and perhaps mist himself clear out Of
sight. the mule II tucker him out, and fetch
him in the end. II he's kept on his trail long
Mules ain't no slouches on the track some
times. too. remember little white mare
ming. beat any horse in New Mexico The OH
GERS there used 10 match their American horses
asa,nst her III, bni Iir she'd SCOOP 'em Every time
Btarve before he'd touch. They'll grow fat on
sage brush. and I've known em 10 live, and
work for weeks. by chawing on each. others
names and tails. wagon tongues, feed boxes.
wagon sheets. sand, and sich oh. you bet
mules tough. You don't want no, better guard
mules neither. They hate InIuns like pisen
and red can't come within mile OF camp
stampede II they ain we'll corralled A mules
mighty scary about water and you bet you
with a mule team. for they can smell N, ii en- and il
you get muleto set foot on a qucksand you've
got 70 fight for 1t.
No. ! don't consider mules so vicious as
they're called. They do kick and bite and
tqueal sometimes. but rs only their play. II
square thing and when you do get hold OF a
mule that's good and kind and willing to work
he Is wiling all through. and YOU We got crit
1t than any other beast that you can name"