Howdy, Please excuse. But I can't resist this early 1852 entry from 49er Howard C. GARDINER's reminiscences, as he asks: "... Did you ever see a mule teamster in a tight place and note how philosophically he regards the situation, and how quietly and deliberately, without a shadow of excitement, he proceeds to extricate himself from the dilemma?." With this opening, Gardiner describes an encounter with PECK an "old acquaintance who hauled our traps to Hawkins' Bar in August, 1849..." It seems that Gardiner had passed through Stockton and was a few miles from French Camp when he overtook Peck stalled in a small slough with his wagon sunk to the axles in the soft mud that "would mire a snipe." But let's hear it from Gardiner: "After a half-hour's labor, we had dug out the wheels and completed a trench in front of them, leading on an inclined plane to the higher ground, and when that was done, Peck proceeded to straighten out his team, which consisted of six noble mules.... "Beginning with the saddle mule, he[Peck] made a circuit of the team, giving each animal a slap and calling it by name as he administered the hand stroke. It was evident that a perfect understanding existed between the man and his team, and the light tap seemed to have the effect of hypnotizing each mule and placing it in strict accord with its driver... "...[A]fter casting a glance...Peck's countenance...became demoniac. Shouting, 'PULL, you long-eared devils, PULL,' he raised his voice, and gave an utterance to a yell so wild, so shrill, so piercing and prolonged, that it would have excited a feeling of envy in the breast of a Commanche Indian; simultaneously the crack of the whip awoke the echoes...Then followed such a tirade of blasphemy, such a deluge of profanity, such an avalanche of oaths and imprecations, that I was appalled at the power of invective displayed by this unhallowed Jehu. "Its effect on the mules, however, was obvious; they were simply terrror- stricken, as they writhed in their collars, and with straining muscles buckled to their work, and ere his vocabulary of malediction was exhausted, Peck had the satisfaction of beholding his wagon rescued from the slough, while the team... rested from its labors in BLISSFUL consciousness of duty perfomed. "Mr Peck was not habitually profane...So when I expressed my surprise at the prodigious fertility of his imagination in the way of 'cuss words,' his reply was, 'Oh, that was only MULE TALK,' and with that simple explanation dismissed the subject." Sorry; but Josephine & Clementine really enjoyed this:-)) Bob Norris in Dallas BNorris166aol.com>