The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-07-28
TRICKS OF THE MULE
HOW THE OLD STAGERS WOULD
DODGE THE CiNCHlNG PROCESS.


The Fell Mare and the Way She
Would lead tHe CInn-Tnc Antics
OF = Herd With 4 Survey Expcdi-
Eiou Daring II Total Solar Eclipse.
An old member OF the Hayden geo
logical survey was recalling some of
his days on the trail. lie said:
1t was then that learned the ingen-
.oua tricks OF the mule, one of the most
Intelligent animals living. 1t WAS in
1873 that joined the survey. All con-
nectel with the expedition We're or
lcrcl 10 round up ut the Davis ranch,
twelve miles from Cheyenne, the home
ranch OF one Of those cattle companies
whose herds then ranged from British
Columbia to Texas. When l arrived |
found Il scene that rcSembled the camp.
ing place OF IN army.
~ little way off Oh the prairie was
being Eerded the enormous bunch Of
mules that was to transport the eXpcdi-
ton. The packers were occupied in
agreeing upon and cutting out the
mules To be assigned to each division.
They would ride first one and then an
other to determine the very best sad
dlerS. ana these they would calmly APP
propriatc for themselves. The packer
of those days was Il very important
parsonage, and the Hayden survey en-
gagged only these of the highest rank.
The mules employed We're the most de-
Sirable for packing purposes, the Span
sure footed, strong and good travellers.
They were very Intelligent and after a
short time became extremely cunning
il avoiding The duties required.
First. as the regular hour for sad
ding approached they would steal
away and hide behind some rock or
clunp Of bushes. rs preparations We're
made for cinching, they would watch
cautiously. and 1T the first tug of the
cinch they would bow their sides in
the direction Of the operator, ut the
same time inhaling to the fullest eX-
tent IN Old mule that had become
really scientific ut the business will
keep an inexperienced packer busy
cinching and recinching for two hours
and then only to find that the operation
must be repeated i'll the first half mile
after leaving camp. The only way to
thwart his purpose is to wait few
moments till the mule is off his guard
and then quickly gather in the slack or
for the off packer TO turn him sud
denly to the left, destroying his atti-
tude of resistance.
Accompanying each train of mules
is always Il horse of some description,
preferably white or gray, wearing
COW bell and commonly designated as
the bell mare The mules will follow
this animal as a colt follows its moth
err and in cases of peril or distress on
its part will manifest the anguish of
child over its parents.
Once on the survey in crossing a
marShy drain the bell mare became
mircd y nule near her, discovering it,
Immediately gave the alarin. Instantly
the whole train with the packs on their
backs rushed to TIE rescue. They hud-
died about the bell mare in circle
and bruyed until the very hills re-
echoed with their lamentations. The
packers in their attempts to eXtricate
the mare We're nearly trampled under
foot by the excited mules, which in their
efforts TO assist rapidly became nsred
themselves. II required the united eff
forts Of the whole Hayden survey to
hold them back until the packers could
hbcrate the mare.
When turned loose to Craze only the
bell mare needs to be hobDled or pick
eted. thus giving the mules entire free
dom TO range for food. II is next to i'm
possible to stampede or drive them
away. Their devotion to the bell mare
was touchingly shown ut the time of
the total eclipse of the sun in the sum-
mer of 1873
I'VE were in northern Wyoming and
had made = forced march to get to the
region of tOtality, which was As north
and 81 west. We had just reached the
point when the eclipse began. Only the
scientists whose business it was watch
ed it, however The rest of us were
busy watching the mules. They We're
quietly grazing near camp when Il sick
" yellow light began to spread over the
landscape. At this one and another
would raise his head and gaze inquir-
ingly at the mule next TO him to ascer-
tain if he were up to any mischief.
Finding no cause of the phenomenon
there, they all with one accord turned
and made n survey of each other up
and down the line to discover the prac-
teal joker Unable to spot him, they
turned in concert while the light grew
more CHASTITY and made a prolonged
survey of the horizon.
The hills and meSas now became
covered with Il mottled light-blue,
green and yellow-like snakes skin.
This was more than they could stand.
With a simultaneous impulse they
turned to the old bell mare and hud-
died around her for protection. The
notified light now passed away and
was succeeded by darkness. This was
all right. They understood darkness.
One by one they turned from the bell
mare and by successive and regular
thumpS announced that night had
come, and they had thrown themselves
on the ground to sleep. When the dark
ness began to pass away the whole OPP
Grafton was reversed until natural day
light arrived, when they all quietly
went to feeding again, making no re-
marks on the unusually short night. -
New York Times.