The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-12-12
QUEER MODES OF TRAVEL.
Poor Substitute for the Horse in
Oriental Countries.

stress on the service to civilization
which is rendered by the horse.
That animal, he says, is found
chiefly in those countries which
lie within the temperate zone, and
which may be regarded as Occi-
dental. There are believed to be
100, 1000, 900 horses in the world to-
day, and four-ffths. of them are in
the regions just indicated. In
tropical and Oriental countries the
work Of carrying burdens and
drawing vehicles is performed by
donkeys, oxen or buffaloes, camels,
elephants and man himself.
The writer Just mentioned, O.
P Austin, of the National Bureau
of Statistics, has information about
the numbers of these animals EN-
ployed in the work described. He
has reason to thing that there are
5000, 900 camels, 10000, 900 buff
faloes and 10, 700, 900 donkeys. In
the United States and Canada
there is one horse on an average to
every three and a half persons; in
Mexico, one to every twelve; in
Japan, one to every forty; in the
Philippines, one to every fifty, and
in India and Southern China one
to every 200.
Mr.. Austin estimates the weight
a horse will carry at from 200 to
$50 pounds, a donkey from 100 to
200, an OK about the same, the
llama (South American relative of
the camel) from so to 200, the true
camel from $50 to 500 and the ele-
plant from 1900 to 800 pounds.
A man can carry from IS to $50
pounds, though his ability depends
not only on his general strength
but also on the method Of sustain
ing the load. If he uses a neck,
as the Chinaman does, and divides
the burden, he may be able to
handle more than if he takes it in
a single package. In Southern
Europe and in Asiatic countries a
practice is common which is nota-
bic for the skill exhibited rather
than the weight sustained. Wo-
men often poise on their heads
huge parcels or Jars containing
some fluid. For instance, milk is
thus brought into Manila from the
rural districts. So deity are these
loads balanced that they do not
need to be put in place and remov-
ed.
Of course, if a burden is put on
wheels it can be moved by man or
beast more easily than if actually
carried. In Belgium and some
other countries carts are drawn by
dogs. The same kind of animal
pulls the sledges Of the Esquimau
and Laplander, though the reindeer
also performs such service in the
Arctic regions. Camels usually
carry freight and passengers on
their backs, but occasionally they
are hitched to wagons. Palan-
quins are sometimes borne by
camels walking tandem, the two
poles of the vehicle being excep-
tionally long. Their front ends
by the leader and the near ends
by the second one, the poles rest
ing in straps which hang down on
either side of the animal from a
sort of saddle. India women of
rank use carriage drawn by a
pair Of bullocks, bit also ride in
palanquins having human bearers.
Still another vehicle which is
much patronized in Oriental coun-
tries is the jinriksha. This has
two wheels and top like buggy,
and is drawn by a man or boy.
This jinriksha is provided with
two rods which correspond to the
thills of a buggy, but are shorter.
The forward ends are connected by
a crossbar, against which the man
leans when pulling the vehicle
Heavy carts for freight are arrang-
ed in the srme general way, but
are pushed from behind. In the
island of Madeira low sled, drawn