"استطلاعات في بلاد الرافدين وكردستان وشمال غرب بلاد فارس ولرستان في الفترة من أبريل إلى أكتوبر ١٨٨٨، كتبها المقدم ف. ر. مونسيل، فرع الاستخبارات. يوجد مجلدان. المجلد الأول: تقرير سردي ووصف للمدن الكبرى والطرق المؤدية منها. شيملا: فرع الاستخبارات، إدارة قائد الإمداد والتموين، ١٨٩٠" [و‎‎١‎٥‎٠] (٣١٢/٣٠٤)

NOTES ON TRANSPORT.
Pack saddles in Baghdad are seen coming from all parts of the east for
camels, mules, yabus and donkeys.
Though none of them are much to look at, each is the result of perhaps
several generations of actual experience in road and mountain transport.
The Persian “ palan ” is the commonest sort in use for mules, and is made
of two curious semi-circular pads joined to a high peak at each end. Round
the edge is a broad rim of padding. This is used in Karmanshali, Sihna, and
all through West Persia. Large numbers are made in Rarmanshah. tor
donkeys the same pattern exactly, though a smaller size, is used.
The construction is very simple, the pack being made of rough sacking
stuffed with straw. The weight is lifted well off theanimaPs back, and taken
partly by the projecting pads of straw and the rim Carried down the animal s
side, while over the centre of the back it is hollowed out. ...
There is a single leather girth and a broad, leather breeching held in position
by two breeching straps. Very little leather is used, and nothing liable to get
easily out of order. '
A breastband is used in most cases, but not invariably. There are no buckles
at all, and such articles are much prized and liable to be stolen by muleteers.
Girth and other fastenings are made by a pliable leather thong knotted
to an iron ring sewn on to the pad.
A leather surcingle is used over the load, and no numdah is used.
Packs are not removed when animals come in after the march ; only for a
short time while they are being groomed. They are seldom injured by the ani
mals rolling, which they invariably do directly the load is taken off.
Ordinary pack mules are never bitted, but led about by a halter wit i
an iron noseband, to which is attached a short picketing chain carried looped
loosely round the mule’s neck when marching. In North-West and West ler-
sia it is customary to tie the whole caravan head to tail by these chains, e^P®*
cially if passing through the narrow streets of a town. In Baghdad this is
scarcely ever done, and on the rough mountain tracks of Kurdistan it would
be dangerous to do so. t . .
In bad places the muleteer generally holds the leading chain in his han ,
and on some occasions the mules are guided by head and tail.
To picket a caravan of 8 animals, two iron pegs are driven in the ground
and connected by a rope of camel’s hair about 80 feet long, to which pic eting
chains are attached. For a restive animal a forefoot hobble is used ; but alter
along march animals show little disposition to break loose.
The Arab “ palan ” or pack is seen on the Mesopotamian plain, and also
in West Persia. It is a somewhat simpler looking construction than the
Persian •
It consists of two rectangular pads of rough sacking stuffed with straw
well set up in the centre, secured by a broad leather girth breeching, an in
some cases breastband. i i i • 1
In the Pusht-i-Kuh the pack saddle used for mules and donkeys con sis-
ed simply of a pad of straw about 8 inches in diameter bent into a nairow
shape, the distance between the two sides being not more than 6 inches.
This is placed on the animal’s back over a thick cloth or ‘‘ jhool, aur ’ a
crupper and breast plate secure it in position. The same pattern of saddle can
be seen in India.
2 i 2