The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-09

The men are the packmaster. who is In
charge Of the train. two super cargos "r
"cargadovas" and six packers. Nine OF
the mules are used for riding purposes
ana the rest serve for packs. me morse
wears bell around his neck and VIII
the packmaster leads the train. or the
packers one must be a cook ana one a
blacksmith and all must thoroughly uh-
derstand the handling OF mules. Ing
men are not required TO enlist, altpOue . u
,;hey form apart of the army. Iheir
pay is $50 a month and they also receive
rations whenever they are in camp.
DRESS LIKE COWBOYS.
They do not wear any uniform put
are dressed somewhat in the styie oA
cowboys. Only able bodied men, Weisn-
ing at least 10 pounds and being apie 70
lift 200 pounds are hired for this service
While they are not expected 10 tame al
active part In warfare, yet they are
armed during a campaign with cavalry
carbines. revOlvers and hunting Knives
and IN some of the Indian campaigns
they have done Sc me effective nghtihg.
At the training camp the men are busliy
employed in feeding and grooming the
mules, training green animals anu TAXING
the train out every other day Tor prac-
tice march from twenty TO thir'y hhes,
when the mules carry loaus Oh 80
pounds. In active service Wheh the
marches are long the maximum weight
OF a load is cut down to 20 pounds. rms
Is made up of tenting, bedding, cooking
utensils and ammunition. one mule car
ries 100 field rations. Ordinarily one half
of the train carries rations the rest being
loaded with tents. ammunition and mis-
cellaneous supplies.
A pack mule is equipped In the follow
ing manner: on the animal pack Is
first placed the 'corrunna' or crown,
consisting Of a quilted pad lined with
canvas. as a sweat cloth and numbered
so that 1t may always be used on the
same animal. on top Of the corrunna
is placed a good. heavy blanket, six feet
wide by seven feet six inches long. This
IS folded to six thicknesses and serves for
bedding for the men. on the folded blan-
ket is placed the pack saddle, shaped
like a saw buck and technically called the
"apperajo." The corrunna, blanket and
apperajo constitute the "orgeiny.' On
the latter are fastened the loads fixed up
in two "manteans" or six foot squares
of heavy duck cloth. They are lashed on
with a three-eighths inch rope twenty
eight 10 thirty feet long. called the lay
err" a sling rope Of the same size and
length ties the loads across the rigging.
A leather blind called the "tappajo" is
put on the animals eyes, while the rig
ging and load are being put on and
the first lesson taught green mule IS
to have him stand sun as long as the
tappajo IS over his eyes.
BELL HORSE.
The bell horse carries neither load nor
rider and the pack mules follow him
when he walks or crowd around him
when he stands on the march the bell
horse is never ridden but led by one Of
the packers. When the mules are grazing
the bell horse IS hOobled, except when
an attack is expected and then he Is held
by the halter.
with twenty well trained mules enough
green mules 70 make up a fun train can
be trained IN a month. II the mules are
all green II requires Of course much long
er time. Since 1885 over a thousand
mules have been broken into the pack
service at Camp Corbin and sent 10 the
various army commands IN Texas. Mon
tana and Arizona. The mules are usually
bought at ST. Louis. None under four
years OF age or over six are taken and
none under $50 pounds in weight. AMI
mails found to be vicious are not kept in
the train but are turned over 10 the
wagon trains. C. w.