The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1899-08-30
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 80. 1899
ROCKY MOUNTAIN cANAR1Es.
Frank A. Haywood.

Strangers have to laugh when they
first see Rocky Mountain Canary. His
small body enormous ears and look OF
preternatural wisdom are as interest
ing as the antics of the clown in Il
circus. But, nevertheless, the family OF
burros divided the honors with the rail
roads in building up the southwestern
part of our country, particular by New
Mexico.
Where the railroad lays down its
burden there the burro takes it up. Not
much larger than a mastiff. he is yet
almost as strong as Il horse. AS sad
die animal you would spurn him; not
because he couldn't carry you, but FOR
the reason that if you should fail for
an instant to keep both your knees
punched up under your chin your rect
would strike ground. and Mr.. Burro
would walk gently off. leaving you be
hind him on the road. 1t is as pack
animal that the burro eXcels. lie is
patient. strong and surcfOoted. HIS
board is not expensive, for such costly
delicacies as oats and hay are to him
as strangers. From the time he was
weaned from his mother he has known
no other rations than such as he could
procure by nibblng the grass by the
wayside.
On his patient back the lonely pros
pector ties his worldly possessions,
and, following behind with rifle ana
staff threads the mountain trails IN
search Of the new Gl Dorado. The delv-
ing miner. far up in cloudland, uses
him to carry sacks of precious ore TO
the smelter, and bring back in return
food, clothing and even water to drink.
When the mine has been established
on a paying basis, so that large mum
Der of men are required for It's opera
ton, then settlement Is formed
around It's mouth. and the iron rails
are laid to connect 1t with civilization.
The burros work Is finished here, and
he pushes on to other fields of useful
ness. far in advance. He Is ever II
pioneer.
The word burro Is simply Spanish
for donkey Yet burro Is smaller than
donkey just pocket edition of one,
AS Lummis happily puts 1t. The diff
ference In size probably comes from n
difference in food ana work continued
as history extends the burro has been
abused. overworked and left to hustle
for himself No wonder he is small.
but Notwithstanding his scanty di-
mensions he is wonderfully strong, and
enduring, and will grow fat on rations
that wouldn't keep a horse from star
walton. These qualities coupled with
his sure fuotedness. are the reason for
L. l.. "a ,,ualy al nj ptn1
His sure footcdness comes from the
instinct of self preservation, which Is
far better developed than In the horse.
So far the instinct is profitable, but 1t
sometimes leads to great annoyance,
One day while II burro train was being
guided down mountain canyon the
leader came TO place where the tran
lead across the bed of stream. A tor
rent rushed across 1t in the rainy sea-
son. but now II was simply dry sand,
as hard almost as pavement.
The hurro refused to cross, and final
ly had to he pulled from the front and
pushed from the rear. Then, when half
way over he deliberately laid down and
commenced to groan. The cause was
that the sand recalled his mind to II
time long ago when he had stepped on
Just such an innocent looking place. 1t
was smooth and dry and yellow and
gave every evidence of plain sailing.
His little feet had gone through, how
ever. and he would have sunk out of
sight in the quick sand beneath had he
not been rescued with ropes in the
nick of time. Catch him trying that eX-
pertinent again.
Another instance of utter despon-
dency under slight provocation hap
pened on the same trip. In passing
through n very narrow part of the can
yon. one OF the burros caught his
pack between two projecting lodges of
rock and stuck fast. In vain he tried to
push forward and then To back. Then
he gave up utterly. Such groans and
lamentations as issued from his little
throat have rarely been heard from Il
beast. but when his pack was united
with the utmost haste. everyone think
ing he had been internally injured. he
quietly trotted Off to Join his COM
rades with every indication of being
in robust health and perfect spirits,
But what discourages burro quick
er than anything else is wetting his
ears lie is very sensitive about these
grotesque appendages under any cir
cumstancos. but wctting them simply
breaks his heart. If while swimming a
stream II few drops of water touch
their inner membrane he will give up
and drown