Evening journal., 1898-09-06
sIx-MULE ARMY TEAMS.
rhey Are One or the Interesting sights
I'm These Days In Tampa--MuIe
Recruits from Cuba.


There are about 5000 mules with the
army in Tampa. Most of these are di-
vided among the different regiments,
where they are assigned to ambulances,
10 baggage wagons and to carry packs.
Ahout 500 remain with the quarter
| ,.aster, who keeps them In a huge
corral, where they are under the SUI
pervision OF Bob" and Rafael" two
"cow punchers," brought here to COM
mand this division of the army. They
know about all there is 20 know about
mules, and the many scars that Rafael
carries attest a somewhat too intimate
acquaintance at times.
In all cases where mules are used
men of experience are required TO han
die them. The six-mule army team is
a common sight on Tampa streets.
The driver rides the near" pole mule
and guides the entire six by means of
single leather rein, called the Jerk
line" This connects with She "near"
side of the mules brides, so that he
pulls steadily on It TO guide the team
to the left. When he wants to go to
the right he jerks the line; that makes
the near mules push against the of"
ones, and they consequently turn the
other way. This sounds simple enough,
but in reality the skin required can
come only from long practice.
The mules are well aware when there
Is novice at the Jerk line" and will
do ns they please, especially when the
long lash used by drivers of the six
mule team does not reach It's destina-
tion with the deadly aim of the old
hand. The whip Is, in fact, about as
important as the Jerk line" There
are times in the mules life when his
latent obstinacy comes to the surface,
and hundred Jerk lines" would be
OF no effect. The stinging lash then
comes into play. 1t is long, round,
pliable and thick. nadc for business
and used for it. Tho strap which is
connected with the wagon brake IS
hitched to the drivers suddle, and he
Is obliged to manipulate this. too
Even in its perfection mule driving
IS an art I'm which something must be
left to fate. One of the best army
mule drivers on the plains always shut
bis eyes tight when he came TO dam
gerous pass and kept them shut til
safer trail was reached. lie was con-
sidered the safest driver in the service
The driving OF the pack mules Is
) nearly always simplicity itself. a Agray
mare with a bell on her neck Is led
) In front and the mules follow. No ex
, planation is given for this except thai
5 mules are fond of horses, and a graz
J one is more easily seen.
2 The mule, IN a way, Is doeile and east
~ taught. 1t takes only a short tim,
4 TO break in recruit mules" and wheI
s they get 70 work they show wonder
4 full endurance. They also eat less thar
the horse, and can go longer withou
I water. The army mules daily ratioi
8 consists OF nine pounds Of grain an,
@ fourteen pounds Of hay. The fearfu
e noise made by the male, which come
g In somewhere between a donkey's bra.
3 and horses neigh, Is called by face
: tious soldiers "the quartermaster'
p band"
There are In the corral at Tampi
now and scattered among the troop
, many meshbers of that band Of priz
mules which was captured from TN
. Spanish government on board the shil
, Catherine. They are branded with
w" on tho fore quarter, above whicl
has been plnced our 'U s." and a ~
on the hind quarter which is the initia
. " the Spanish quarternaster who pur
chased the mules In Texas for the Span
sh government.-N. Y. Sun.