18 
INDIANOLA 
head is secured between two wooden bars ; and each 
foot, after a severe tussle, is fastened, by means of iron 
clamps, to the four upright posts or cross-bars. The 
victim is now ready for the shoeing process, which is 
the most expeditious part of the operation. The shoes 
having been previously brought to the size of the small 
hoofs, a blacksmith stands ready at each foot, with a 
shoe, nails, and hammer in hand. He does not then 
pause in order to make a close fit ; but the shoe is put 
on in less time than a city farrier would spend in 
paring a horse’s hoof This part of the job being 
over, the finale of the operation is to haul the animal 
out, which, owing to the spirit of perverseness inherent 
in his nature, is generally attended with as much 
difficulty as that of getting him into the stocks. He 
is now suffered to go at large, unrestrained by the bars 
and rails of the corral. In this manner, about one 
hundred and fifty mules were shod ; and, as only twelve 
at the most could be got through with in one day, 
about two weeks were necessarily spent in this portion 
of our fitting out for the march. Considerable time 
was also occupied in preparing the shoes, which were 
made in New York; and being adapted for the larger 
American mules, it was found necessary to reduce them 
all for the smaller and more delicately formed hoofs of 
our Mexican torments. 
Believing it would be more advantageous to the 
members of the Commission whose presence was not 
necessary in the camp where the work alluded to was 
going on, and that it would be conducive to their 
health, I left Victoria on the 13th, with the larger por- 
tion of the Commission, and formed my camp in a 
