MULES NOT MODELS OF AMIABILITY. 203 



quires, in the packer or packers, an equal amount 

 of skill. 



As I have already said, a bell-mare is absolutely 

 indispensable to a train of mules. A single mule 

 can be tethered to graze ; a train must be turned 

 loose, and kept if possible from wandering by 

 the bell-mare, which must be either tethered or 

 hobbled. More than this, unless the train volun- 

 tarily followed the bell, no power on earth could 

 drive them a yard when loaded. Pigs are models 

 of passive obedience compared with mules ; mules 

 never, by any remote contingency, do right except 

 by accident. The bearer of tea, tobacco, bedding, 

 instruments (anything, in fact, spoilable) is pretty 

 sure, if he has a chance, to fall or purposely roll 

 in any water through which his route lies. Nine 

 chances to one, when an early start is determined 

 on, two or three mules are absent ; and after 

 hours of search and delay, the irate packers 

 suddenly pounce upon them, or they come strol- 

 ling back, whisking their tails and braying for the 

 the bell, having been quietly snoozing or design- 

 edly hid in the bushes or sedge-plants close to 

 the camp the whole time. 



We had one small ' pinto ' (spotted) mule, very 

 good if anyone could only get on his back, and 

 sit on it after getting there ; when packed, his duty 



