Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-11-24
THE MAIL OF THE WORLD
EPQsTMEN OF ALL TIMES AND OF
VARIOUS PLACES.

Fieet-Footed couriers the First Letter
carriers-Runner Retained In the
More Remote Lands-Water Routes
| Traversed by Trained Men.
| Couriers who relied wholly on the
| agility and endurance of their OWE
limbs were. naturally. the means first
| employed for the transmission CT let
| tiers and news. 1t has been discovered
recently that the Egyptian kings main
tanned a sort of postal service with
Asia, the letter being inscribed on tab.
let's of clay, some of which have been
unearthed.
In mountainous Greece. in ancient
times, communication was carried on
wholly by runners, and history pre-
serves the record of the gallant cour-
Ter who brought home the glorious
news Of Marathon, and dropped dead
when he had delivered his message.
In Roman Gaul couriers were sta
toned at various points along the
straight and well-made roads. each
ready to start the instant the courier
from the preceding station arrived.
Such despatch was attained in this
way that a message reached Rome
from Brittany in 26 days-traversing
all Gaul, the Alps, and half Italy.
Indeed, few animals are feeter of
foot than welltrained human runner.
In Turlyav cont,Iriar aUo tho training
of couriers went to the length of re-
moving the spleen. which operation
was supposed to improve their wind"
In Nubia to this day the post is car
ried by runners, who carry in one hand
a bell and in the other a staff, to which
is fastened the antelope skin mail bag.
Japanese postmen also carry bells.
Some of them draw little hand carts;
others have two baskets on the ends
OF a pole balanced on the shoulder.
They have the right OF way sover
everybody, even the emperor. AS late
as 1883. 100000 of the 100000
miles of postal routes in Japan were
served wholly by couriers on foot.
Chinese postmen are called the
strong men," or the "300-mile men,"
They carry lanterns. umbrellas with
bells, and knapsacks. They are chos-
en- for strength and courage. for they
must brave not only real dangers, but
the host Of nocturnal spectres which
are the terror of the Chinaman. One
Of the tests to which the candidate is
is sort of bag-punching ex-
ercise, but the bags are numerous, and
if he is struck by single one his
chance of appointment is gone.
The first improvement upon the I'M
mounted courier was the mounted one,
of which very singular variety was
found by the Spaniards in South Amer
lea. Here, as in ancient Gaul, runners
were posted at intervals, but they had
to carry. not written or verbal mes
sages, but human messenger. who
was tossed from the shoulders of the
runner to those Of his success
sor. In most countries, however, cour-
lers were mounted on horses.
Marco Polo, in the thirteenth CEN
tury, found the mounted couriers of
the Great Khan trayersing all China.
The provinces furnished relays of
horses to the number OF 100000. At
present $50 men and 500 horses are
kept for the imperial service alone at
Pekin. These horses are called ''im-
which means that the number
never varies. and that it is forbidden
70 speak of the death Of one Of them.
The passing of the Persian post is,
to an eye witness, a sight
never to be forgotten. There are 80
Or 40 pack horses attached four
abreast and laden with mail bags. In
'front.' ride six soldiers in green. with
swords, pistols, and guns, the last car
led under the left leg. Behind Games
/ Tartar horseman in wide breeches
Ind embroidered jacket with pistols
Ind yataghans at his belt Perched
IN huge Circasion saddle he watches
he convoy as a cat watches a mouse.
Ind smokes cigarettes continually.
The escorting troops yell like de-
mons that the road may be cleared
md it is cleared in a hurry. The cav
Llcade passes like a hurrican. in a
loud of dust. Horses and drivers are
hanged at intervals. but the Tartar
n charge makes the entire trip, which
nay last month.
Next to the horse. the camel is the |
Mount most used by mail carries The |
amel post exists in Egypt and the
est of northern Africa, and also In In |
la.
The most rudimentary of vehicles, a
ort OF wooden bicycle. has been used |
or long time in India.
The Hungarian post cart is a very /
ude affair. drawn by two emaciated |
ags. The passengers sit on bundles |
( corn stalks.
The Norwegian postman uses a cart |
onsisting of pair of wheels, a pair |
4 shafts, and a board fastened across |
he latter. Some of the pest roads In |
INLAND have wooden tracks on which
he carts, drawn by swift ponies, make
rs miles in "a hours.
The Russian postal service is eclec-
lie and diversied. First there Is the
traditional three-horse vehicle, the
middle horse wearing an immense
ollar with a sad-toned bell. In the
caucasus the mail carrier. accompan-
I'd by a soldier. proceeds leisurely in
cart drawn by four oxen. but even
his vehicle must be abandoned in the
passes, where the mails are
Al hy Nocc r1C an <co<