Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-07-24
STRANGE METHODS
OF TRAVELLING.
Some Queer Conveyances-VehicIes OF
Mexico, Japau and Abyssinla.

Some Queer C0nveyanceS-VenicIeS Ol
Mexico, Japau and Abyssinla.
Frequent complaints are heard about
the lack of originality in conveyances
In this country, says William Rufus
in The Royal Magazine. Take rail
ways. When they were invented the
only mo lei that occurred to anybody
was the stage coach. But the train
could only initiate this despised fea-
ture and was generally voted uncOm-
Portable as we'll as ugly. Ugllness'
However, is generally attributed to
lanything unfamiliar. and trains seem
to have grown out of it. Motors have
also suff red in the same way. The
only idea that occurred to any one
WAS TO make them like Carriages OF
some kinda wagOnette or landau.
or even brougham-and people jeered
at the comical result. A carriage had
been designed to look well and SYM
metrical behind horse and shafts.
Without these it looked like legleSs
man or bald woman, or something
equally uncaDny. The coachman on
the box with nothing in front of him
to drive came in for a lions share of
the ridicule,
Think of all the sorts and conditions
of conveyances-some clumsy, some
dainty. some fantastic, some useful,
and others utterly hopeless-which
travellers encounter in various parts of
the world. Perhaps the rudest of any
are to be found in Mexico. The cart
in use there must 60 back almost to
the days Of pre- historic man, Phara0h's
chariois are as good as rubber tired
beside this. No doubt the cart in
question would be somewhat incongru-
GUS away from the mud castles and
other evidences of primitive instincts
which accompany it, but it is full of
suggestions to an artistic mind. Fail
ing this we might easily find insplra-
tion in the old sedan chair, which had
no rival for distinction and grace.
often wonder why it was ever allowed
to go out of fashion. If the sedan
chair were not agreeable it would Ger
tainly not be so generally popular as
it is in the far East. There you will
find a kind of sentry box, where you
sit bolt upright and be carried about
at great pace. The position is firing.
but you feel securer than in the more
luxurious equipages, where you have
hammock or an armchair, and snOoZe
through a journey. Some of these are
drawn by two horses, one behind and
the other in front, but you are rather
at their mercy in case of stumble.
For towns and smooth roads there is
nothing to beat the jinriklshas and
various little wheeled go carts drawn
by running men. The pace is often
that of a fast trotter and the motion is
very agreeable. The most picturesque
kind Of litter, as might be expected,
is to be found in Japan, where every
thing is arranged prettily. When you
travel through the forests of the inte-
riOr you may meet whole families be
ing conveyed in travelling chairs In
Alb, ssinia the French Minister always
travels to and from the coast on reg
ular couch, where he can lie at full
length. 1t is supported in front and
behind by mules, and looks very mag
nilicent with all sorts of brilliant dra-
peries. But the native cannot under
stand it at all, and wonders why he
''travels like woman" In parts of
India, however, where the English
are by no means considered effemlnate
it is quite the recognized thing for
officers to travel about in chairs car
ried by natives. Quite as interesting
as the queer cOnveyances are the
qneer creatures that have been EN-
plOyed to draw them.
In Abyssinia a mule costs as much
as two or three horses, and is always
preferred by persons of distinction.
Travellers who go to pay their respects
to Emperor Menelek find it difficult to
realize that they are doing the right
thing in riding mules, while their SER
wants bestride horses with fine long
tails. The little donkeys of North
Africa also ENJOY certain considera
Jion. Every one has a lurking desire
to be drawn by an unusual team. This
accounts for the popularity of goat
carriages by the seaside, as they can
not be amusing of themselves, seeing
that they goat snaiIs pace, and you
are not allowed to drive. The same
thing may be said of the elephant rides
at the Zoo. l have photograph from
California. 1t represents the first
trained ostrich in the United States.
In this respect the United States do
not appear to be so go-head as they
are in the multiplication of insignifi-
cant inventions, for every one who has
been to the Jardin discrimination in
Paris within the last ten years will
remember the little ostrich cars which
are let out at sd drive. There are
Ialso zebra Carriages there at the same
Iprice.