in such a state of excitement that they are certain to get poor and
valueless.

There is another advantage in having the drawing-chains worked at the
length I have described. It is this: The officers that formed the board
that recommended the drawing-chain, also recommended a number of large
links on one end of the chain, so that it could be made longer or
shorter, as desired. If made in conformity with the recommendation of
that board of officers, it can be let out so as to fit the largest sized
mule, and can be taken up to fit the shortest. When I say this, I mean
to include such animals as are received according to the standard of the
Quartermaster-General's department.



CHAPTER II. THE DISADVANTAGES OF WORKING MULES THAT ARE TOO YOUNG.


A great many of the mules purchased by the Government during the war
were entirely too young for use. This was particularly so in the West,
where both contractor and inspector seemed anxious only to get the
greatest number they could on the hands of the Government, without
respect to age or quality. I have harnessed, or rather tried to harness,
mules during the war, that were so young and small that you could not
get collars small enough to fit them. As to the harness, they were
almost buried in it. A great many of these small mules were but two
years old. These animals were of no use to the Government for a long
time. Indeed, the inspector might just as well have given his
certificate for a lot of milk cows, so far as they added to our force of
transportation. Another source of trouble has been caused through a