Delta chief., 1883-05-23
Characs-ristics or,n Mule.
locking Round the Rockies.

NO animal III tnt WOrlu possesses 20 lnuch IN
dviduality and will develop in given time
many distinct phases Of character. His
sagacity in some directions il balanced by
most desperate stupidity in others. herd
shows wild. range of variance in tractability
and in other traits among its members. You
cannot fail 10 note this in their different coun-
tcnancc, to which their long ears lend so
much expression; but all their characters
ties are positive and are asserted in the most
startling manner. They are crotchcty too,
and ii is often impossible to overcome their
prejudice One ! knew who would never al.
low himself TO be caught to have his pack
put or rc-adjusted until all the rest had
been attended To then he was quite ready
and docile. Another was n very good, gen
tie riding animal, and had no objection to
Your pipe, but you must get of to light ii
strike n match in the saddle, and Satan en-.
tered into his breast ON the instant. The
same fellow had an insuperable objection to
entering watcr-an unfortunate trait, for be-
fore crossing an unknown stream with pack
train ii is desirable TO know what sort of "A
ford ii il, and the man who rode this mule
was the one whose duty it generally was to
make the test. The animal would walk
straight down to the margin, then rear upon
his hind legs aud spin round like fash.
| had a mule once that would bray fcro-
ri"usly and inccssantly whenever it was out
"f nearing of the train's bell. 1t an ex.
cessively annoying habit, and, persuasion
failing, ! one day dug my spurs into its ribs,
and hammered its head firsi with n strap.
then with the butt of my pistol, every time
the hileous noise was raised. ! felt that
there was no sense in this absurd practice
and was bound TO break it. But aitcr an
hour or two it was hard To keep my seat, for
about once a minute the beast would duck it,
head and jump though propelled from n
cannon. uttering terrible bray, apparently
just 20 invite punishment. So changed my
tactics, and paid no attention whatever Ia the
habit. and in a couple of days had no further
annoyance. Mules know what disturhs you,
and malgnantly do that one thing regardless
nf pain to Themselves Another mule ] had
WAS an eXcmplar Of this trait. lie had
trick Of swelling himself out when put the
saddle on, that il was impossible to make
the girt tight; ! nigh, we'll have tried To
drSw in the waist Of a steamboat boiler: and
to secure the saddle properly always had to
catch him unawares, after We had got started.
1t is not easy To gain mules confidence.
aud, the other hand. he rarely merits
yours. ! have known one Ia carry his rider
in the most exemplary manner for hundreds
Of miles. and then one morning begin a
rics Of antics and develop an unruliness n
IL. "a 4
times you can train them with considerable
satisfaction, but y1u never feel quite sure Of
them. They are forever doing something
surprising, hcroically pulling through real
difficulties Ia give up tamcly before some
sham obstacle. This is partly owing to their
absurd timidity. II one scarcs, all the rest
are panic.strickcn. piece Of black wood,
like tl,-. cmbcrs Of an old fire, will cause al
most any mule to shy. 4 boulder of a Ger
tain shape was invariably regarded with dis
trust by one | used 10 ride. Raitlcsnakcs
they hold in Just adherence; bears paralyEe
them with terror: Indians they cannot be
spurrcd to approach. This excessive timid.
,ty is the result of their social habits. A
mule cannot bear to be left alone; and al.
though, he knows he can 90 straight back from
wherever you may take him, following the
trail like a hound, vet he considers himself f
hopclcssly lost and forlorn when he can no
longer hear the bell. 1t is his use and habit
tn go with il. 1t menrs everything which
makes life happy for him, and he viii endure
very much punishment, before forsaking it.
However two or three travelling together all
day by themselves. keep one another compa-
ny and get along very well.
This attachment to the train, while it has
been the salvation Of many an outfit, becomes
II great nuisance on the march. Mile after
mile you plod along in the rear nt right
foot, left foot right-foot, left.foot jog, which
in the course Of seven or eight hours wears
out muscle and patience The sun beats
down, the dust rises up, and your only enter
tainmcnt is the cow.bcll hung on the neck of
the leader. The first hour you do not mind
il much the second it grows wcarisomc; the
third, painful and you hold your ears to shut
out the monotonous clangor; fourth hour you
go crazy. All life ccntcrs about that tirelcss
hammcrng and endless coming till, in uni
son with the ccaselcss coppcr-clattcr of that
ding.dong bell, your mind loses itself in
Hickey pokcy winkey wang,
l.inkun lnnkum mrscodanH,
The lnjun sworc that he would hang
The man that couldn't keep warm -
You cannot get away from it. What is mis-
cry to you is melody to The mule and if you
try In ri.lp him nutsi,l, IF tho nusi, ,f IA,