166 The Isthmus of Tehuantepec. 



hastily constructed to keep the logs from burying in the mud, 

 to the bank of the nearest creek, and float them down at 

 the next high water to a river large enough to build a raft, 

 thence to the sea. 



The most expensive part of the work is hauling the logs 

 from their site to the creek. Twelve yoke of cattle are 

 sometimes hitched to a single log, weighing one ton. The 

 oxen are all yoked by a stick bound with thongs across the 

 fronts of their horns. To the centre of this stick the rope 

 is fastened which is attached to the load or to the next yoke, 

 as the case may be. Horses and mules are hitched to the 

 load by the tail, alone. This appears cruel, but they draw 

 heavy loads, in this way, without apparent suffering. 



The limiting distance at which it pays to cut a tree, is 

 from one to two hundred yards, depending on the condi- 

 tion of the intervening ground. The mahogany exported 

 is not of the first quality, being too free from knots, owing 

 to its quick growth. The logs are worth, at the coast, $15 

 and $25 each, for a log of fifteen feet 



As a mule driver, the Mexican is seen in his greatest 

 glory. One man rides a horse and cares for three or four 

 mules. One mule carries the provisions of the party, in- 

 cluding the flat stone for grinding the corn. The oldest 

 mule in the drove carries no load, and goes ahead as a leader. 



The remainder of the train carry from one to two hun- 

 dred pounds apiece including the pack saddle which weighs 

 about seventy-five pounds. Thus, for every four mules, 

 carrying two hundred pounds each, eight hundred pounds, 

 in all, there are carried three hundred pounds of pack 

 saddles, two hundred pounds of provisions, and two extra 

 mules, being nearly fifty per cent, of non-paying load. Each 

 mule carries a bell, which serves to find it when strayed 

 or lost in the woods, or high grass. The usual day's jour- 

 ney is fifteen miles, but often, over muddy roads, not 

 more than five. At night, the mules are fed a little corn 



