MULES FOB MILITARY SERVICE. 131 



centre, or, rather, until one end slightly overlaps the other. 

 The sides are then sewn together and the ends furnished with 

 strings or tapes. The result is a double bag or purse, which 

 can be filled on each side, and slung across the animal's back. 

 Some mule ' sulletahs ' are specially fitted with leather thongs, 

 for attachment to the iron rings of the Punjab saddle. The 

 ' suUetah ' is useful for carrying small packages, loose grain, 

 articles packed in thin coverings, &c. The ' sling ' is a broad 

 strip of coarse canvas or sacking furnished along its edges with 

 eyelet holes. The load, which may consist of boxes, portman- 

 teaux, sacks of flour, &c., is arranged on the sling so that the 

 ends can be folded up and the sides lashed together by a cord 

 running through the eyelet holes. Thus a purse with open 

 sides can be formed and slung across the animal. The size 

 of the ' sling,' of course, depends upon the nature of the 

 animal." 



A most useful and exceedingly interesting account of 

 the manner in which baggage can be securely fastened on 

 to pack mules without the aid of any special saddle was 

 described and illustrated in the Field of February 2nd, 

 1895, by Mr. Albert H. Leith, of Chihuahua, Mexico. The 

 accountj with some slight alteration in the text and 

 engravings, is as follows. Mr. Leith says : 



" I was initiated into the mysteries of the hitch, 

 by means of which baggage is securely fastened on 

 the most refractory of ponies, during the campaign in 

 Afghanistan, and I was much impressed on seeing how 

 neatly and securely the load was tied by means of this 

 knot, which is in use over all the Pacific slope ; and calling 

 to mind the scenes I had sometimes witnessed, I thought 

 that the accomplishment would be an exceedingly useful 

 one to the British soldier. 



" Twenty years of frontier life and use of the hitch enable 

 me to thoroughly realise its advantages, and having 



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