132 HORSE, FOOT, AND DRAGOONS. 



falls abruptly away through two towering cliffs or fantastically 

 shaped buttes that mark the entrance to a canon, and the 

 teamsters drag with all their strength on the straps attached 

 to the great brakes of the hind- wheels as the heavy wagons 

 go grinding down the steep incline, the mules, sober, sure- 

 footed brutes, slipping over the loose stones and scattering a 

 shower of pebbles and gravel about them as the leading teams 

 scramble along, the wheel -mules, with feet braced and strain- 

 ing back against their great collars, sliding after them. Ar- 

 riving at the bottom with a rush, they move forward again, 

 wagon after wagon following, until the trail widens out a lit- 

 tle where a pool of water has formed across it, seemingly 

 barring further progress. The quartermaster's horse sinks fet- 

 lock deep in the sticky, slimy mud, and the wagon -master 

 shakes his head as he looks back at the long line of heavily 

 laden wagons coming around the bend in the carion. How- 

 ever, on they must go; there is no way of avoiding the hole; 

 steep cliffs rise on each side, and the first wagon, following 

 the lead of the wagon-master, plunges boldly in. The mules 

 strain and pull, deeper and deeper the wheels sink into the 

 slime. No use! the mules give it up; and once a mule makes 

 up his mind that it is useless to try any more, no power on 

 earth that we know of will make him proceed, at least not in 

 the desired direction. The team from the following wagon is 

 unhitched and brought to their aid. Now then ! crack your 

 long -lashed whips, teamsters! Curse till the air is blue! 

 " Whoop her up !" Flounder, splash, and strain, mules ! Give 

 it up again until another team is brought up. More cracking 

 of whips, more cursing, more splashing and floundering and 

 scattering about of liquid mud, until mules, teamsters, and 

 wagons are covered with it, and look as if they were made of 

 it. At last the wheels slowly move, churning up great masses 



