236 ORDER OF JOURNEY, Book II. 
that this operation goes on at the same time in different 
points in the corral, and before twenty or thirty waggons, 
the reader may form an idea of the confusion of the whole 
scene. When trying to put them to, the animals entangle 
themselves in the harness, fling themselves on the ground, 
trample upon and kick one another, sometimes break 
loose, and run off with part of the harness, the Mexicans 
in pursuit, mounted on the swiftest horses in the caravan. 
The mule, with the draught-chains clattering at its heels, 
gallops madly on, until the noose is again round its neck, 
when it is brought in and harnessed anew. 
When at length all the waggons are in readiness, the 
corral is opened ; the supernumerary animals are let out, 
with the bell-mare, and the caravan is now ready to start. 
The mules are now, for the first time, put to draught; 
for the first time they feel the bridle and the lash of the 
driver, who takes his place on the saddled mule. 
Fresh confusion ! Here, it is impossible to get the team 
to move, — there, another team tries to run away with 
its waggon. Here, one pair of mules make a desperate 
effort to advance, whilst a second pair holds back, — there, 
the leaders turn sharp round, drag the next pair after it, 
and threaten to snap the axle-tree. Here, an animal 
falls, — there, a chain breaks. Amidst the cracking of whips, 
and shouting and swearing of the drivers, at last one team 
gets into a regular pace, when suddenly they strike off 
from the beaten road, dragging the waggon into a morass, 
or wedging it fast between trees. The broken harness has 
to be mended, the waggon has to be dragged out of the 
morass, and the tree standing in the way has to be felled ; 
before all this is accomplished another waggon is in a 
similar plight! Thus the day passes, in the utmost excite- 
ment and fatigue both to man and beast, until in the even- 
