July s, 1902.] 
9 
All the salt, sugar, coffee and beans should not be 
placed in one cargo. Ammunition should be in cargoes. 
Pads or cushions of hay 26 x 44 inches may be placed 
under the cincha to keep long and rough packs from 
the animal's hips and shoulders. 
To Load Cargo. 
1126, The packers should work by threes, designated 
Nos. I, 2, and 3. No. i is on the near side. No. 2 on the 
off side of the mule; when No. 3 works with No. i, h& 
is nearest the croup; when with No. 2, he is opposite 
the mule's shoulders. 
The mule is placed near to. and with its left side next 
to the cargo by No. 2, who then puts on the blind. 
NOi 1, on the neat side, passes the center of the sling 
rope ovef the saddle to the off side far enough to allow 
the rope to pass dvef the off-side pack and come back 
within his reach, the parts of the rope separated by six 
to twelve inches. Nos. 2 and 3 take the off-side pack. 
the right, passes the rope under the corners and lower 
edge of off pad (K, L, PI. 139), and hauls taut at the 
PI. 135, Par. 1126. 
place it well up on the saddle; No. 2 grasps the loop of 
the sling rope with his right hand, brings the rope up 
against the pack and lets the loop drop over his right 
shoulder, in readiness to pass it over the pack; No. 2 
holds the pack in place. No. 3 passes to the near side 
and with No. i takes the near side pack and places it, 
flat side next the mule, well up on the saddle, lapping 
the upper edge well over the upper edge of the off-side 
pack. No. I, with his back to the mule's shoulder, takes 
the end of the front part of the sling rope, passes it 
from the outside through the loop, and pulls it down 
with the right hand; he now grasps the rear end of the 
sling rope with the left hand, and ties the ends together 
in a square bowknot. the packs high up. 
No. I calls out: Settle; Nos. i and 2 each grasps his 
side of the cargo by the lower corners, lilts upward and 
outward, settling the upper edges well together and bal- 
ancing the load. If the packs are" tied too high, they 
are easily lowered, but if iied too low they must be lifted 
and placed as in the first trial. 
While Nos. 1 and 2 are tying and placing the cargo. 
No. 3 takes the lash rope, throws the ftee end to the 
rear "of the mule, convenient to No. 2, and places the 
cincha end in front of No. i. No/ tijgiftsps the rope 
wuh the right hand, three feet from tht f-'ncha, and 
P^ses the hook end of the cincha. uni lUile.to 
No. 2, who takes the hook (H, PI. 135) irv aie icit liand; 
No. I, with the left hand, grasps the rope three feet above 
PI. 136, Par. 1126. 
the right, raises the rope, and lays it between the side 
packs from rear to front (PP), pulling it to the front, 
until a long enough loop (A) is formed to pass over 
the cargo and fasten in the cnicha hook ri. 133;. 
The right hand, back down, holds the cincha end of the 
rope, the loop (A) falling outward over the right fore- 
arm; the left hand, back up. holding the other part of 
the rope between the loop and the middle of the packs; 
No. I now throws the loop (A) over the pack, then ets 
the part in the left hand drop on the mule s neck, thus 
forming another loop (A', PL 136); No. 2 passes the 
PI. 137, Par. 1126. 
rope through the hook, pulls the cincha end of rope till 
the hook is drawn up so that, when tightened, the hook 
shall be near the lower edge of the off pad; No. I now 
grasps the rope at G, PI. 137, and tucks a loop, from 
fear to front, under the part AA, PI. I37, over the cen- 
PL 138, Par. 1126. 
ter of the near side pack (G, H. 138); No. 2 passes the 
free end of the rope under the part EE, PI. 138, and 
throws it over on the near side of the mule's neck; No. i 
'df^ws the tucked loop forward and forces the rope un- 
'^ei- the corners and lower edge .of the near pad and hauls 
it taut from above the rear corner; No. 2 grasps the rope 
.git I, Pl. 138, with the left hand, a^nd at K, PI. KSS, with 
PI. 139, Par. 1126. 
front corner, No. I taking in the slack at the free end 
of rope. 
The lash rope is now ready for final tightening. 
No. 2 removes the blind, leads the mule forward a few 
steps, No, 1, in rear, at the same time looking to see if 
the packs are properly adjusted. The mule is again 
blinded. 
The object of the final tightening is to lash the load 
firmly to the saddle; pulling all the parts of the lash 
rope taut, and taking up the slack, commencing at the 
cincha, and continuing the process from part to part, 
until the slack is taken up at the free end of the lash 
rope. While No. 2 is pulling the parts taut. No. i takes 
up the slack or steadies the cargo, and vice versa; the 
pulling is done in such manner as not to shake the cargo 
out of position. 
No. 2 grasps the lash rope above where it leaves the 
hook and below the edge of the pad, right hand below 
left, places the left knee against the rear corner of pad; 
No. I grasps with the right hand the same part of the 
rope where it comes over the pack on the near side, and 
with the left hand at G, PI. 139, places his right shoulder 
PI. 140, Par. 1126. 
against the pack to steady it; he then says, "Pull." No. 
2 tightefis by steady pulls, and, without letting the rope 
dip back through the hook, gives the slack to No. i, who 
takes it up by steady pulls. When No. 2 thinks the 
cincha is sufficiently drawn, he says, "Enough." No. i 
holds solid with the right hand, slips the left down to"- 
where the rope passes over the front edge of pad, and 
holds solid; the right hand then grasps the continuation , 
of the rope at rear corner of pad and pulls taut; then, 
with both hands, placing his right knee against rear cor- . 
ner of pad. pulls the rope well homC;. No. i' taking up the 
slack by grasping the rope (I, PL 139) where it comes 
over the rear end of off-side pack ■ f^^ ' nidp. No. 
1 jsteps ib- tWvtciOflit :atii,4t£;a(|i.i: then 
pulls taut the ; i^Cs^,<>n'fe8>si^^ up Uje slack; this 
draAvs the part'T^jf the dash rope AA, PI. 139, well back at 
the middle ofc-^|}6>-pacfc; he then with the left hand at 
the rear corner 'of pad (K) pulls taut, and holds solid, 
while with right band at front corner of pad (L), he takes 
up slack; he then with both, hands at, and placing his 
knee against, the front cornec>.Qf the pad, pulls well taut. 
No. I taking up the slack , an . his side, and then pulls 
solid, drawing the part EE,- PI. 139, of the rope coming 
out from the hook well forw-ard at the middle of pack, 
then carries the free end under the corners and end of 
pad, draws taut and ties the end fast by a half-hitch near 
cincha end of lash rope. If the rope should be long 
enough to reach over the load, after passing under the 
corners, it is passed over and made fast on the off side by 
tying around both parts of the lash rope above the hook 
and drawing them well together. 
1127. To tighten the lash rope on the load it is neces- 
sary to take up and pass the slack as in the final tight- 
ening. 
To slacken the rope on the load it is necessary to begin 
to slacken from the free end, and carry the slack by re- 
versing the process of tightening. 
When the pack cover is used, it is placed over the 
cargo before putting on the lash rope. 
When the side packs are of unequal bulk. .or weight, the 
larger or heavier should be placed on the near side; it 
should then lap over the off side pack until the packs 
balance. 
Top packs, i. e., small packages placed in the middle 
between the side packs, should be avoided. When the 
sling rope is half-hitched into the saddle yokes, the load 
is made more secure, but there is great danger of injury 
to the mule's back. 
On the full-rigged saddle, the canvas cincha is attached 
to the saddle by the "spider" ; the side packs are laid on 
the saddle as before, held by the sling straps and secured 
by the cargo cincha. The lash and sling rope are then 
dispensed with ; but use of the lash and sling rope gives 
greater security to the cargo and greater comfort to the 
mule. 
To Unload Cargo. 
1 128. Only'two men, Nos. i and 2, are necessary; they 
work as when loading. 
The mule is placed with head toward the center of 
where the cargoes are piled. No. i puts on the blind ; No. 
2 unfastens the free end of the lash rope; then Nos. i 
and 2 slacken the rope ; No. 2 with the left hand removes" 
the part under the end and corners of the pad on the off 
side, and unhooks the cincha with the right hand; No. 
I removes' the part under the end and corners of the pad 
on the near side, gathers the parts of the rope together on 
his side with both hands, coiling it, and lays the rope on 
the ground where he intends to place the cargo, the cincha 
and free end exposed on the side opposite where the rig- 
ging is to be placed. No. i unties the sling rope, casts it 
loose, takes his side pack and places it on the lash rope 
across the line of cargo ; No. 2, at the same time, takes 
his side pack and lays it on top of near side pack, and 
then, holding the sling rope at center loop, doubles it and 
places it on top of load, loop exposed, for convenience 
when required. 
The second load is placed end to end with the. first and 
on the side next to where the rigging is to hfi placed ^ 
the end of the lash rope is coiled and placed on top of the 
last sling rope, and is used for tying the mule when re- 
loading. 
The saddle cinchas should be slackened and the mules 
allowed to cool before removing the saddles. 
To Unsaddle. 
1 129. Unfasten the latigo and throw the end across 
the top of saddle; fold the cincha with lattgo inside 
and place across top of saddle; push the saddle back, re- 
move crupper from under dock, double it forward, with 
crupper above cincha on top Of saddle, and remove saddle ; 
the saddles are placed in line, resting on the ends of pads. 
Game Notes from the Hampshire Hills* 
The weather has been cold and cloudy in this north- 
western corner of Massachusetts for the past fortnight, 
though there have been warm sunny intervals, so that 
grass is rank and the hay crop very promising. Other 
crops are late, and crows are taking toll wherever they 
can. The trout fishing is poor, and the samples small. 
Those under six inches, which is the regulation length, 
are growing tired of being thrown back after being many 
times caught, and complain of unnatural selection. At 
the same time, the larger ones, if there are any, lie perdu. 
I have seen but two stream fishermen this month. The 
ponds yield some pickerel and ring perch. 
Partridges, or timber grouse, are in evidence all along 
the stage lines, hence to West Hawley, Ashfield and 
Savoy. Some of the old birds are flushed near occupied 
buildings as we drive by. exhibiting much fluttering and 
roughness of plumage, while the chicks make for con- 
venient cover. Quail are increasing perceptibly. One 
farmer acquaintance of mine put up four bevies on his 
own premises last fall, shooting four out of one bunch of 
eiglit, but considerately sparing the rest. I dare say a 
"true sportsman" would have bagged the entire lot, or 
tried to. A few quail have "used" in this section for half 
a century to my knowledge. Woodcock are in fair nnm- 
ber, a dozen or more brace being shot every July by one 
of our experts, though I don't know of a dozen guns 
being owned in town. It is not uncommon to see wild 
deer running with the sheep and cattle, or looking over 
the stone pasture walls. Of the three kinds of animals 
the deer are much the tamest. They often bed in the 
brakes (fens) between the roadside and the edge of the 
woods. Of course, they are nobody's property, because 
the game law forbids their being "liad in possfession." but 
it will not be hmg, I opine, under existing signs, before 
the farmers will be seeking "protection" for their -crops, 
as they have done in other sections, and suing the State 
for damages. Oh, deer! Oh. deerl 
Blackberries are y.ery plenty, ispr will he this fall 
if the. present hixltriance of blossoms be indicative. Such 
-tffasses of whiteness I never saw, except on the seashore. 
The roads are lined with the?R, Chakles^^Hai,lock. 
Plainfield, June 24. 
Beat and Cow* 
Currituck, N. C, June :x).-^Ediior Forest and Stream: 
Bears are becoming- too miraeroits and saucy at Coin- 
jock (this county) that the farmers are losing nearly 
all their hogs, and last week a very large one killed a 
milk cow in open daylight for Mr. John Spry. The cow 
was heard to bellow, and seven men, armed with as many 
kinds of implements of destruction, were soon in pursuit. 
When they caught up with him ,the bear was sitting on 
the cow's back eating his breakfast out of the back of 
her neck, at the same time driving the cow further into 
the swamp. He guided her in "the way she should go" by 
a tap on the jaw with his forefeet when she tried to 
turn to the right or left. Some of the men had good shots 
at the bear, but were afraid of killing the cow, and Bruin 
escaped, but not until he had finished the cow, so that 
she died shortly after. Many hogs, some of them large ones, 
have been killed during the past few days, btit this is 
the only true case of a cow being killed that I can vouch 
for. 
While crossing about the center of Currituck Sound 
yesterday, I saw between 300 and 500 ruddy ducks and 
blackheads. I have never seen anything like this before in 
June at Currituck, and account for it by the gunners hay- 
ing stopped shooting a month earlier than usual this 
spring. I think they intend spending the summer with us, 
and if so, it will be the first time in fifty years,- 
Moke Anon. 
Towsef. 
By Edwin L. Sabin in LippincoWs Ulagasiite. 
Here's to that dear old, trusty pard. 
Comrade of woodland, street, and yard, 
Who ne'er was wanting in time of need. 
And never swerved from his loyal creed; 
With his eager tail and his loving eyes, 
His ears up-cocked in attention wise. 
His ringing bark and his spirit bold, 
His clever ways and his heart of gold. 
Little it matters how goes his name: 
Towser or Rover, 'tis quite the same; 
Be sure that in boyhood's catalogue 
His figure is blazoned as dog — true dog: 
Ready to frolic, to fetch, to fight, 
To run all day and to guard all night; 
To follow his lord to the world's far end — 
Servant and warder and faithful friend. 
Where were the odds that he would not face, 
Where the path that he did not trace, 
Where the stream that he could not svv'im 
If a well-known whistle had summoned him? 
Snowy or rainy, cold or hot, 
Light or darkness, he faltered not; 
Weary his limb or torn his paw, 
His master's wish was his highest law. 
Oh, stanch companion of by-gone days. 
Who asked for naught but a word of praise ; 
Whose purest bliss, and contentment sweet— 
To lie outstretched at his master's feet! 
The squirrel chatters adown the grove. 
The grouse drums loud from the mossy log — 
ip^;t deep are thy slumbers, boyhood's dog. 
