LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 37 



" Hard (loins' when it come to that," remarked La Bonte*. 



Between the horse and two of the mules a mutual and 

 great affection appeared to subsist, which was no more than 

 natural, when their master observed to his companions 

 that they had travelled together upwards of two thousand 

 miles. 



One of these mules was a short, thick-set, stumpy animal, 

 with an enormous head surmounted by proportionable ears, 

 and a pair of unusually large eyes, beaming the most per- 

 fect good temper and docility (most uncommon qualities 

 in a mule). Her neck was thick, and rendered more so 

 in appearance by reason of her mane not being reached 

 (or, in English, hogged), which privilege she alone enjoyed 

 of the trio ; and her short strong legs, ending in small, 

 round, cat-like hoofs, were feathered with a profusion of 

 dark-brown hair. 



As she stood stock-still whilst the stranger removed the 

 awkwardly packed deer from her back, she flapped her 

 huge ears backward and forward, occasionally turning her 

 head, and laying her cold nose against her master's cheek. 

 When the pack was removed he advanced to her head, 

 and resting it on his shoulder, rubbed her broad and 

 grizzled cheeks with both his hands for several minutes, 

 the old mule laying her ears, like a rabbit, back upon her 

 neck, and with half-closed eyes enjoyed mightily the manip- 

 ulation. Then, giving her a smack upon the haunch, and 

 a " hep-a " well known to the mule kind, the old favourite 

 threw up her heels and cantered off to the horse, who was 

 busily cropping the buffalo grass on the bluff above the 

 stream. 



Great was the contrast between the one just described 

 and the next which came up to be divested of her pack. 

 She, a tall beautifully-shaped Mexican mule, of a light 

 mouse colour, with a head like a deer's, and long springy 

 legs, trotted up obedient to the call, but with ears bent 

 back and curled-up nose, and tail compressed between her 

 legs. As her pack was being removed, she groaned and 

 whined like a dog as a thong or loosened strap touched 

 her ticklish body, lifting her hind quarters in a succession 



