288 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



marches, 60 or 70 miles often being accomplished in twenty -four hours. 

 (Proc. Eoy. Soc. Edinburgh, 1883-'84, Nos. 115-118, p. 316.) 



The open palankiu or chair has reached an excellent differentiation in 

 Madagascar. A traveler sits in a leather seat, made to fit the body, at- 

 tached to the two bearing poles and having a stirrup for the feet. To 

 the poles are also attached the traveler's gun, haversack, assagais, and 

 other necessary apparatus. 



The frame rests upon the shoulders of four carriers, who trot along 

 with the load until they get tired. Extra bearers shift the load upon 

 their shoulders without stopping. In this method of relaying the bear- 

 ers are enabled to carry the traveler oftimes a hundred miles a day. 

 This same method of bearing and relaying is found also in Africa, and 

 furnishes an advanced and quite complicated system of transportation. 

 (Fig. 44.) 



Fig 44. 

 Filanzana or Carrying-frame of Madagascar. (After Shufeldt.) 



(Cat. No. of frame 75928, U. S. N. M. Madagascar. Collected by Lieut. M. A. Shufeldt, U. S. Navy.) 



" The average load of a coolie," says Mr. Neumann, " is 100 pounds, 

 and with this he travels 30 miles. Kinkiang is an important place for 

 the export of tea. The tea districts are situated about 60 miles from 

 the town, and the coolies bring in the chests in two days," each man 

 carrying a load of 100 pounds. 



" The weight of a load and the distance over which a cooly travels, 

 may be different in the north or south. I have not been able to make 

 inquiries elsewhere but at this port." 



Any one who has looked at all into the subject will recall the thousand 

 and one attitudes of Chinese carriers in all pictures of social life. The 



