THE HUMAN BEAST OF BURDEN. 



283 



by human hands, and scarcely a cart or a dray was used iu the city, 

 unless, indeed, it was drawn by negroes. Carts and wagons propelled 

 by horsepower are now quite common; but for the moving of light 

 burdens and for the transportation of furniture, pianos, etc., the negro's 

 head has not been superseded by any vehicle. (Kidder and Fletcher, 

 Brazil and the Brazilians, page 29.) 



The Napos Indians, of Ecuador, also use the head-band to support 

 the basket ; the staff is also introduced to throw a portion of the load 

 upon the arms and turns the bearer into a veritable quadruped. (Fig. 

 35 A.) 



In the island of Madeira is also seen the rudimentary form of loading 

 up two or more men. The primitive palankiu is simply a hammock 

 swung on a pole, with ornamental awning and so forth to suit the rider. 

 We will pause a moment to scrutinize this apparatus. (Fig. 36.) When- 



K ^ 





Fig. 36. 

 Hammock carriage, with two bearers. Madeira. 



• (Frcm a photograph in the U S. National Museum. ) 



ever a man wishes to carry a stick of timber he finds the center of 

 gravity and places that upon his shoulder. It is only a slight step 

 forward to make the stick lighter and add weights on either end, as do 

 the Mexican carrier and Chinese cooly. Kevolve the pole ninety de- 

 grees so as to be perpendicular to the line of progression and we have 

 the typical Holland yoke. We are proceeding here, as always, on the 

 supposition that the human mind sets *ever before itself the problem 

 how to get the greatest result with the least effort. This involves in 

 the case in hand a study of padding, fitting, re&ting, etc., all of which 

 things have their local methods of treatment. 



Again, suppose two men have a log or plank to carry between them, 

 each rests one end of the load on his shoulder. This is the first step 

 in that varied apparatus which becomes in different lands palankiu, 

 bier, filanzana, in which rank or circumstance make one set of men the 

 carriers of another. Many of the peasantry are employed as carriers, 

 and one is much struck by their numbers as they euter Funchal early 



