290 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



The shoulder-pole, or carrying- pole, assumes as many forms in China 

 and Japan as the ingenuity of one-fourth of the human race has been 

 able to devise. Inasmuch as they all operate on the same plan, a de- 

 scription of a very simple one in the National Museum will suffice for 

 the whole series. 



The essential parts of a Chinese carrier's outfit are, first, a stout strip 

 of bamboo, 6 feet or more long, wide in the middle, and having knobs or 

 notches at either end. 



The middle of this apparatus rests on either shoulder of the bearer, 

 and from the notched ends, with or without suspending strings, hangs 

 the well-balanced load. The bearer carries a staff in hand, upon the 

 top of which he may support his load while resting. 



The wheelbarrow reaches its highest perfection in China (Fig. 48). 



Fig. 48. 

 Chinese Barrow with two sides, for burdens or passengers. 



(From a photograph in the U. S. National Museum.) 



The man of burden is harnessed by means of his hands acting as stirrups, 

 and a rope or strap passing from the shafts over his neck. To his rope 

 or band he gives the effect of a trace by fastening it to the shaft some 

 distance behind the hand. 



The wheel is, moreover, in the center of the barrow, so that the 

 downward pressure on the shoulders is far less than in our European 

 barrows. 



The load of this apparatus is disposed around the wheel, with some 

 attention to the center of gravity ; and the disposing of men, pigs, mer- 



