[Illustration:
THE MULE.
]
The common Mule sometimes lives to the age of thirty years. It is very
useful in carrying burdens, particularly in very mountainous places,
where horses are not so sure-footed. People of the first quality in
Spain are drawn by Mules. Their going down the mountains of the Alps is
very wonderful. They place their fore feet as if they were stopping
themselves; they then put their hinder feet together, but a little
forward, as if they were about to lie down. In this way, having taken a
look over the road, they slide down with great swiftness. In the mean
time, all the rider has to do is, to keep himself fast on the saddle
without checking the rein; for the least motion is sufficient to
disorder the equal balance of the animal, in which case both would
certainly be dashed to pieces. In their swiftest motion, when they seem
to have lost all government of themselves, they follow exactly the
different windings of the road, as if they had settled in their minds
which way they were to go.
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