The Portland daily press., 1898-07-02
SIX MULE ARMY TEAMS.
One of the Sights in These Days In Tampa
Mule Recruits.

Tampa, June 23.-There are about 800
mules with the army in Tampa. Most O
these are divided among the different
regiments, where they are assigned to
ambulances, to baggage wagons, and to
carry packs. About 500 remain with the
'Juartermaster, who keeps them in huge
corral where they are under the SUPER
vision of Bob and Rafael" two 'oow
punchers," brought here to command
this division of the army. They know
about all there is to know about mules.
and the many scars that Rafael carries
attest a somewhat too intimate aoquaint-
ance at times.
In all cases where mules are used men
OF experience are required to handle them.
The six-mule army team is a common
sight on Tampa streets. The driver rides
the near" pole mule and guides the en-
tire six by means of single leather rein,
called the tjerk line." This connects
with the "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 "off' ones, and they consequently
turn the other way. This sounds simple
enough. but in reality the skill required
can come only from long practice.
The mules are we'll aware when there
is novice at the ''jerk line." and will
do as they pl a e, especially when the
I0nr 10 f1,.ix So 1;-r IL
| team does not reach it's destination 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, made for
business and used for it. The strap which
| Is connected with the wagon brake is
hitched to the dri RS saddle and he is
obliged to manipulate that too.
| Even in its perfection mule-driving is
| an art in which something must be left
to fate. One of the best army mule dri-
vers on the plains always shut his eyes
and kept them shut till a safer trail was
reached. He was considered the safest
driver in the service.
| The driving Of the pack mules is nearly
| always simplicity itself. gray mare
with bell on her neck is led in front
and the mules follow. No explanation is
given for this except that mules are fond
o. horses, and gray one is more easily
seen.
The mule in way is dociIe and easily
| taught. 1t takes only short time to
| break in ''recruit mules.'' and when tney
get to work they show wonderful en-
durancs. They also eat less than the
horse, and can go longer without water.
The army mules daily ration consists of
| nine pounds of grain and fourteen pounds
of hay. The fearful noise made by the
mule, which comes in somewhere be-
tween a donkey's bray and a horses
| neigh is called by facetious soldiers "the
Quartermaster' band"
There are in the corral at Tampa now
| and scattered among the troops many
members of thai band of prize mules
which was captured from the Spanish
government on board the ship Catherine.
They are branded with a "V'' on the
fore quarter above which has been placed
our ''U. S." and "U" on the hind
quater, which is the initial of the Span
ish Quatermaster who purchased the
mules in Texas for the Spanish govern
| ment.