284 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



in the morning with sheep-skins filled with wine upon their shoulders, 



looking at a distance more like 

 a live animal than a filled skin. 

 The skins are preserved entire, 

 even the legs of the animal being 

 retained. (Fig. 37.) These bur- 

 dens are kept steady by a band 

 that passes over the forehead, 

 which supports a great part of 

 the weight. About 25 gallons, 

 weighing more than 200 pounds, 

 is a load. They move rapidly and 

 carry this load for a mere trifle. 

 To us a remarkable feature in the 

 population was to see a female not 

 only thus employed, but a stout 

 mountain lass trudging up a steep 

 path with ease under a load that 

 would have staggered one of our 

 Fi „ 37 laborers even a short distance. 



WlNE-CARRIER IN MADEIRA. (WHkeS.) 



(After Wilkes, in Report on the U.S. Exploring Expedition.) J R ^g Madeira type tWO HICD 



are bearers, and they rest them- 

 selves by supporting the load 

 on crutch-like staves, since they 

 can not set it down. (Fig. 36.) 



A sledge, about 6 feet in 

 length, 20 inches wide, and 6 or 

 8 inches high, with two strips 

 of hard wood fastened together 

 for runners, used to transport 

 pipes of wine, is the only vehicle 

 employed in Madeira. Figured 

 (Wilkes I, p. 10.) 



A drawing of the Persian 

 water-carrier is introduced here 

 (Fig. 38) for the purpose of trac- 

 ing the head-band and the skin 

 bug in their distribution. The 

 pulque-gatherer of Mexico uses 

 the skin of a hog in collecting 

 the crude juice of the plant; 

 the Eskimo employs the closed 

 skin for a water-carrier as well 

 as for a float. All over the 

 Orient and in Africa the goat 

 skin is the accompaniment of 



Fig. 38. 



Persian Water carrier. 



(After H. Fen i Century Magazine.) 



