The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-25
CRUELTY ON TRANSPORTS.
American MuIeteers Made to Suffer
on British Vessels.
The story Of II Photographer " mo
sailed From New Orleans to South
AfriCn-RcpuISiyc Food. Kicks. aud
Degrading Work the Recruits Lot.

American muIeteers 20 serve on the
British transports engaged in. carrying
animals from New Orleans 10 South Al
RIGA have been in great demand during
the last eighteen months Many Of these
muIcttcrs. upon their return to this port.
have reported crueJtieS perpetrated upon
them by the officers of the transports, and
in one cr more instances damage suits
have been brought against the owners OF
the vessels for violation Of contracts
just to see what a trip to South Africa
and return on one of these trans. orts
might b". Lem a Dever, out of a spirit
# adventure. enlisted on the steamship
European. which left New Orleans with
a cargo Of horses last April Mr.. DeveT Is
a telegraph operator He is keen of oh
Servauou, and hence possessed with the
true newspaper instinct. which has en-
auIed hum 70 depict the life of an Amer
lean muIeteer on board British trans
port in "a very graphic manner He re-
turned to New Orleans on the European,
which arrived in port Saturday evening,
and yesterday gave an interview concern
ing his trip to South Africa
The purchase of American mules and
horses and their shipment to the scene of
hostIities in South Africa have long been
subjects OF absorbing interest to Boerr
Britun ard Yankee said Mr.. DeveT. 1T
Is interesting to the first-namcd because
It involves the question Of military
supremacy: to the Yankee because
it lines his pockets with British gold
These mules and horses are slnews OF
war. next in Importance to ammunition
Had the imperial Government been I'M
able TO secure the tens Of thousands Of
powerful and weII-adapted animals from
the United States, the war in Africa
would have been indefinitely prolonged,
and probably with entirely different Te-
suits At last perceiving this, the BoeT,
in desperation, endeavored to stop these
shipments. The result Of the suit brought
by General Pearson is well known.
IN Transporting these animals the
British use their own vessels. shipping
from 600 to 1900 or each, requiring the
attendance Of seventy-five TO eighty-fIve
'rnuleteers' for each trip in addition 10
the ships regular crew. VITA teerni"S
thousands Of tractable kafffrs under Brit
ish domination. expert horSemeu and I'M
complaining slaves 1t is passing strange
the British do not use them for this seTv-
ice. Instead they advertise IN American
papers and easily secure more Americans
than are necessary for the sum of SD for
the round trIp-about seventy days voy-
from which after one experience, the
NEST brltaIized Kafir would recou in
horror and disgust.
Yet many Americans make these trips
several times. and acknowledge fascina-
ton for them hard to control This is
another matter for wonder-for the psy-
biologist. but not for me Indeed, II
would profit any sociologist, psychologist
OF CriminOlogist to make one Of these
trips. and Josiah Flynt could learn more
about the Powers that Prey Of hoboes,
their motives and methods in one single
! trip than he could in five years tramp IN
the States. I shall reserve that material,
! however for q volume Of my own IN
/ which ! shall cast F1ynt's commonplace
/ experiences into dim obsCuTity-
/ I viii give a faithful account Of the
| JOYS and hardships of these trips, for
| there are joys for those who can appre-
/ ciate them. For example, a South Allan
! tic sunset Is one Of the grandest specta-
cIes in the universe. Many different
/ stories have been told about these trips,
| some in uncouth expressions Of righteous
/ Indignation, others put in print to con-
| ceaI the truth. Suits for damages have
/ been brought: many n4uleteers have been
| JAILED az Durham and the Cape upon
| small excuse. others have been landed
! broke and half starved at New York, 10
/ become Il public charge and an object OF
/ priv. Their hardshiys are a matter OF
! public interest in America A desire TO
| furnish a straight and friendly tip II
future victims Is my private interest, and
( this without other reason, Is SufnCIeHL
/ for this article, the facts in this inter
view being gathered under dihlcuItlss-
| April IS a friend Of mine who loves ad-
J ny
| one Of these trips. I accepted the dare,
/ hence can claim no special motive.
/ There's q divinity that shapes our ends,
and I ADMIT the voyage has greatly en-
| Iarged nv experience and quickened my
| conscience. That day we Joined eighty
| other applicants marched to Canal Street
and rode out on a tug to the anchorage In
! the present imeIight Of experience it was
vastly amusing to see the sudden develop
! ment Of lines of care and worrinent which
oyerspread the counterances OF those who
| feared there might not be a berth left for
them.
We were packed at the bottom Of a
| foot-uide c0mpanionWay leading TO the
| upper deck Of the tug, turcenful of souT
coming over the big ships side, drenchine
! the seventy-fve men who were attempting
to mount the narrow stairway at once
| kicked, joIIied. yelled like Apaches. and
| swore Ike pirates. Finally ascending and
| being admitted in twos 70 the august pres
! ence Of the British Consul and his agent
/ We were closely questioned as TO birth
size. age. weight color Of hair, eyes, etc
and asked to sign the articles setting
/ forth the requirements of the voyage
| Having autographed articles which we did
not read. We were hustled up long rope
ladder. reaching the hurricane deck Of the
blooming ship European
Then We were carefully searched foT
contraband, booze, guns, knives. D. ma
mite. or anything which might endange.
the skipperSz supreme authority and re
I pose. Before We had placed our baggage
il our hunks. consisting chiefly Of a rub.
her collar and a pair Of socks. the order
| came to scatter through the ship and fec
] the stock Here's where the fun began
| Tired by the long railroad journey fright
| ened by the Iashings and hauoing inSep
arabic from their loading, anything bu
pleasure seemed to pervade the alleged in
stinct Of those poor d:Imb brutes, and II
/ was like running the gauntlet to escape t''
/ vicious lungcs Of bristling teeth Tn
/ lucklcss muletecr ducked and dodge
| through the narrow aisIes in al endeayo
I tC. reach his post The first feed was hay
and # it is true that our early ancestor:
! sold wooden nutmegs to the confdins
| public. certainly did We sustain our Tepu
tation III the ba!ing Of that hay. ANY
/ thing less than / by seemed to 20, If no
with the horses. at least with our sJupI.