PERFORMING MULES G3 



bottle. Six or eight bottles are sufficient to commence witli^ 

 additions being made as the animal becomes proficient. When 

 the trick is learned it is unnecessary to secure the bottles in any 



THE PORTER BOTTLE FEAT. 



way ; if the miile places his foot squarely on the top, as he 

 should be made to do, there is no danger of cither breaking or 

 upsetting them. 



There is a trick related of a couple of English costermcngers, 

 or perambulating vegetable dealers, which is amusing if not of 

 practical value. These two worthies were in the habit of pas- 

 sing theu' donkey thi-ough a Devonshire toll gate, on their 

 return trip, free of charge, by making him walk through on his 

 hind legs, arm in arm with them, and taking advantage of the 

 twilight to represent him as a friend slightly under the influence 

 of liquor ! 



At the south, where mules are almost universally used for 

 many purposes for which horses are used at the north, the 

 negroes are in the habit of directing their movements in many 

 cases entirely by the voice. The animals of that section being 

 as a rule more gently treated, are of a better disposition than 

 their northern brethren. The course of training practiced by 

 their sable masters is by no means systematic, but the ani- 

 mals manage by some means to learn to understand and obey 

 the far from lucid commands. We have often been surprised 

 to see how readily the mules would detect the meaning of 

 what, to our ears, was entirely unintelligible. Probably prac- 

 tice had taught them what was required just as the mules which 

 convey travelers through the wild mountain passes of Spain are 



