46 THE HORSE AND THE WAR 



cannot be carried on above certain latitudes north of the Equator and below a 

 certain line south of the Equator. It is why, the experts say, the United 

 States does so much better than her neighbour, Canada. The point, however, 

 is not one I am prepared to develop. But the suggestion, seriously put forward, 

 that one nigger can get more work out of a team of mules than any white man 

 may be true enough. The theory seems to fit in with the weird psychology of 

 the animal. " A fellow-feeling makes one wondrous kind ! " Clearly a mule 

 takes a deal of understanding, and the inference is that a white man's brain is 

 scarcely equal to the strain. For, after all, the best meaning of our soldiers who 

 ha\-e had to do with them are constantly being rudely checked just when they 

 imagined they had arrived at a perfect understanding. 



The artist has, for instance, noticed quite a common incident. There is 

 the wrong and the right way of leading a mule to water or to any place where his 

 presence may be required. The man who looks at the mule while he tugs at 

 his head cannot appreciate the animal's unwillingness to move along with him. 

 "Don't look at 'im," shouts the N.C.O., " 'e doesn't hke yer face." And the 

 recruit, feeUng rather hurt, turns away to hide his blushes. The mule at once 

 moves off after him. The ridiculous creature will not be pulled at. He is a 

 sure winner at that game, just the same as when he wants to go east and the man 

 on the rope lead wants him to go west. Both go east until the man adopts new 

 methods. It is wonderful how bull-headed an obstinate mule can be. I have 

 seen him draw two or three men whither he willed, all of them hanging on to the 

 rope lead and the head collar. The same mule works all right in harness and 

 never does wrong, only he is conscious of his own strength at inconvenient 

 times and a horse is not ; or, perhaps, the latter is too dignified to indulge in 

 such unseelmy capers. 



I have known few mules that were not suspicious that someone was 

 plotting to do something unpleasant to them. There is about them an ever- 

 present sense of apprehension. Pass along a fine of mules, either head in or 

 tail on, and they regard you furtively and with deep distrust. Obviously they 

 do not like the look of you. The ears swing significantly, together or inconse- 

 qucntly, and each mule never takes his sullen eyes off you. Did a horse do the 

 same you would say that he had been ill treated at some time. Really a mule 

 talks to his neighbour with his ears. It is a kind of signalUng ; and if you learn 

 to read the language of those long uprights, winking and nodding, you will 

 really begin to know something worth knowing about mules. I have seen 

 a line of mules in single file walking quietly towards the " brow," which is the 

 gangway between the dock and the ship. The first one steps confidently on the 

 " brow " and half-way up he puts one ear back and cocks the other one, at the 

 same time pushing his toes into the flooring. He is not quite sure about what 

 he is doing or being done by. 



Of course, his remonstrance comes at an awkward time ; but the trouble 

 is that the mule behind has seen the one ear go back, and as he does the same 

 thing to the fellow immediately in his wake, and so on right down the line, the 

 whole lot are very soon in a state of quiet revolt. Do not shout and bully 

 them or the ship may be delayed sailing. Devote all your attention to the 

 leader, and when the donkcx- in him has gi\en \\u\- to tlu^ more aristocratic 



