Page 27 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

RESIDENCY AND MUSXAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR 1870-80. 16

APPENDIX D TO PABT I.
Note* upon the breeding, treatment, §c., of the Persian mule, and upon
Persia as a source cf supply for mules, ly Lieutenant I. MacIvor,
Assistant Political Resident, Persian Gulf
At a time when the question of transport largely engrosses the
attention of Government and the Military authorities in India, when
the Afghan war has taxed to the utmost the transport resources of
India, and ba3 proved the inadequacy of the camel as a transport
animal under certain conditions, and the necessity of recourse to other
means of transport, a few notes upon the breeding, treatment, &c., of the
Persian mule in Persia, and upon Persia as a source of supply for mules,
may not prove uninteresting.
The value of the mule as a transport animal, especially in rough
mountainous countries and in countries where made roads, if any, are
few and far between, cannot well be overrated.
The merits of the mule as a baggage animal, compared with the
camel and the pony, are tolerably well known, and may be here briefly
enumerated. Compared with the camel, the mule, whilst capable of
carrying a load but little iuferior in weight to that carried by the
camel, possesses the following advantages:—Early maturity, the mule
being fit for service at four years of age, the camel not until five; greater
sj-eed, the average rate of marching of the mule being three and a half
miles an hour, while that of the camel is twoaud a half; for military pur­
poses this is a very considerable advantage, as it enables them to keep
pace with the troops, and also to accomplish longer marches; surefootedness
over “kotuls” or “ ghauts” and bad ground, the mule marching under a
heavy load over the most rocky and roughest tracks almost as well as on
a made road, while on sharp rocky rnads and on slippery wet soil the
camel is almost useless; greater hardihood and a stronger constitution,
for though the mule is subject to most of the diseases and ills that affect
the horse, yet be is subject in a less degree, while the camel is liable to
various peculiar diseases that arc Dot in the least understood by the best
veterinary surgeons, and the remedies applied by the most skilful camel-
men themselves prove tbai they are equally ignorant and helpless, in
effecting a cure, e.g., I have 6cen a caracPs off-ear slit as an infallible
remedy for lameness in the near hind leg 1 also his neck fired for the
same purpose, and other equally incomprehensible remedies.
Compared with the horse or pony as a baggage animal, the mule pos­
sesses greater endurance; is more surefooted; has much tougher sinews, so
that his legs stand more work; is more hardy and stronger in proportion
to his size, and hng harder hoofs, a matter of no small .moment when con­
tinuous marching has to be performed, and sbocing-6mitb8 are not always
procurable. The mule is also steadier and less inclined to fight than the
pony*
I am unable to say how the Persian male compares with the wall
of other countries, not being sufficiently acquainted with any other.
Hut the mule of any other country which excels the Persian in endurance