Page 33 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

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RESIDENCY AND MUSCAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR 1879-80. 21

upon anything in the shape of horso-flesb and thus docilely follow thtf
yahoo. Then, are often several yahoos in the same caravan each with
their following of mules. In addition to the prevention of straying^
there is another reason for the use of the yahoo, namely, to give a lead
to the mules. The mule, though a very sagacious animal, ia sometimes
a very timid one, and, when frightened, exceedingly obstinate. If ho
takes fright at anything on the road (and this may occur at a narrow
spot with perhaps a precipice on one side) he will obstinately refuse to
proceed. The yahoo, a much holder animal, give3 the lead and the
trusting rnule follows without even noticiug the object, which, had he
been in front, he would have obstinately refused to approach. The
yahoo seems to be a very good institution and might be adopted with
advantage among the Commissariat mules in India.
The staraiua and endurance of the mule is quite remarkable. I
have been told that on a route in Khorassan occasionally traversed by
mule caravans there arc three stages of sixty miles each, and the mulea
under heavy loads march one stage each day, never resting through fear
of robbers. I have myself ridden a mule from Koonar-takhta to Boraz-
joon on the Shiraz road, a distance of about twenty-six miles, over bad
road. This mule had the same day carried a heavy chupprassee, and
two large bags containing luncheon for four persons from Kazeroon to
Koonar-takhta, about thirty-two miles, keeping up with us on horseback,
although we cantered more than once. This made altogether close upon
sixty miles, most of the time at a trot, and although the road was
exceedingly bad and stony, and the latter part ridden in the dark, the
mule never made one bad stumble or false step. This was quite a small,
lean, ordinary looking mule, and, I regret to say (I discovered too
late), had a very sore back. It was not nearly so tired as I was when
we halted.
I have given 3201bs. as the load of a mule, but although the
muleteers invariably say that this is the load, there is no doubt but that
the load is generally much .greater, unless the mule is^ very young or
old or weakly. When the articles carried are bulky, it is not possible to
load very heavily, but with articles like 6ugar, &c., 4001bs. or more is the
amount actually loaded on a strong mule; and they are well able to
carry it. 1 am not 6ure of the limit of load fixed by the Commissariat
for the mules employed in that Department, but I think I remember
iminn ik.i ’* .j/ifkUx/-. jj- so, such a light load is simply a waste
being told that it is *2001bs.
/ no means economical. Picked males (as
of force and energy, and by no ,
they are) will march just as well and quickly under double that load
aud without injury to themselves. The Persian muleteer^ no fool, u
. ............ aware of the value of his mules, and would be the last to
quite well aware
load them to such a degree as to cause them ulterior injury.
Mules in Persia are considered to be in tbeir prime from four years
to nine years old, when they are said to commence to deteriorate. Ibey
live and are worked up to fifteen SDd twenty yean of age, and a few
have been known to live to twenty-five.
The rate of mule-hire varies at different time* and in different
place*. On the Bushire-Isfahan road the usual custom is to pay by the