The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-27
HUMAN BEASTS OF BURDEN.
HOW Savage and Civilized People
Carry Their Bundles.
From the Washington Star.


Carry Their Bundles.
From the Washington Star.
Prof. Otis I. Mason read last night, at
the Hist meeting of the Anthropological
Society of this city, an interesting paper on
the subject of 1.-THE Human Beast Of Bur-
DEM In his predatory remarks, Prof
Mason explained that this was a subject
that had awakened his deepest interest, and
that the paper he presented was but an in
PRODUCTION to other researches, by means Of
which he proposed to fully investigate
and demonstrate the growth of commerce
as carried on through the agency of the
human body That the aboriginal inhabi-
tants performed great feats in the way of
TRANSPORTING materials is shown by the CO.
existence of raw copper on the shores of
Lake Superior and manufactured copper
implements in the remains of the mound
and cave dwellings in the southern part of
the country. The same thing is true of the
presence of wrought jade, which is found
In China and in the Swiss lake dwellings.
Men and women were the first beasts of
burden, and it is undoubtedly true that all
aboriginal carrying was done on their
heads and backs. Even the improved state
of civilized society has not extinguished all
traces of this, for
HUMAN CARRIERS.
are still numerous. Hod-carriers have but
recently, and, indeed, but partially, been
superseded by elevating machines. The
great progress of the time has been
such. continued Prof. Mason, that no one
walks nowadays, unless it is preferred
exercise; horses, steam, and electricity
lend their aid to whirl people to their des-
tinations. 1t is considered vulgar to carry
a parcel: the humblest servant girl, buy
ing few cents worth, may have her pur-
chase taken home in a special delivery
wagon covered with forty coats of lacquer
1t has been calculated that 100000 tons
are constantly worn by the human race in
the way of dress and ornament.
HANDS AND FINGERS.
The paper then enumerated the variou S
methods by which the human beasts of
burden perform their carrying tasks. First
of all the hand, the right hand. In speak
ing of this Prof Mason said that he has
examined great number of savage imple-
ments designed to be carried in the hand and
that the proportion Of those shaped for use
by the lett hand was not greater than / to
so; in no case did he find a left-hand female
implement. Then both hands are used,
after which the fingers come into play. AS
an illustration of the use of the
fingers in carrying, Prof. Mason men
tlOleG Jle SuulI1SI-ISoOEU WdlleI, WHO
bears his tray aloft on three fingers.
The baldric is next in order, slung over
the shoulder by strap and hanging on the
the hip. In this way hunters carry game,
and travellers carry small satchels, Then,
still progressing, goods to be carried are
hung to belt. Hanging things on the arm
may be called the retail method of carrying,
and is used by farm hands, servants, por-
tiers, in fact large proportion of the people
Nt.la ~, I
being will twist his form so as to get the
load that is hung on his arm supported by
his back, a savage will never be found doing
so. Next comes the hanging over the shout
der, of which good example is the nniver-
sal sack of the negro vagabond, containing
unclaimed property and other peoples
chickens. This method is used by gIain
porters and hod-carriers.
THE ORIENTAL PoRTERS
carry almost exclusively on their shoulders
A coolies average load is 100 pounds, with
which he can make thirty miles day. 1t
is estimated that there are LOCO, coo tons of
material moved by coolies in China each
day. Then both shoulders come into use,
the load being placed around the necks,
after which an easy progression is to the
back, which is the natural carrying place
of the burden. The soldier crrrying his
knapsack and rations is a good example.
Then loads are carried on the head, a pro-
cess called "toting" The negro is domes-
tic example and dairymaids are re-
puted to carry their milk pals on their
heads, and there are many other illustra-
tons of this mode of transportation. Ger
tain tribes of Indians wear straw rings on
their heads to aid in bearing and balancing
these great loads. Pockets, remarked Prof
Mason, are scarcely worth mentioning as a
civilized means of transportation, although
the flowing robes of Chinaman are capable
of concealing at least half bushel of play
ing cards, a capacity that deserves passing
notice. The carrying power given by these
various modes is augmented by means Of
COMBINATIONS OF MEN,
in illustration of which the vast works in
Egypt and other eastern countries were
cited. Men also carry goods by traction,
that is, by drawing over the ground. First,
the arm alone is used. then a line is fas-
tened to the object and to the person. 1t
is held in the hand over the shoulder, wound
around the waist or over a poll. The
hunter, drawing home his game, is prim-
tive example of this means of carrying.
Throwing is often reSorted to as a mode
of transportation, of which the negro
method of handling watermelons by tossing
them from hand to hand is fair sample.
Dirt and excavated material were at first
carried in sacks, which have been super
seded by shovels. The great necessities and
the dltferentiating processes of civilization
for rapid and safe transportation give rise
to the professional carriers, among whom
may be mentioned carriers. messen gerS