“WHERE MULES WEAR DIAMONDS” --------------------------- The “pilgrim’ of a later day, who has never been witness to the labors of a “packer” as rode hard, yelled, cursed cursed and slapped, in his effort to guide his stubborn pack mules up the steep and rocky trail of a mountainside, might find it a little difficult to appreciate this production. On the other hand, the heart of the nature - loving to rist[sic] or sportsmen will leap within him at the awe - inspiring, massive, compelling Rocky Mountain background. These mules “wear diamonds” - -it is true - -and diamonds which are larger, and to the packer, more useful and of greater importance than any ever mined at Kimberly. Some mules wore single and some double diamonds, and each of these stubborn burden bearers would gladly have freed himself of the ornaments had such been within his power. The single diamond and the double diamond hitches of the ropes which secured the burdens to the mules, were so clever in their arrangement that only a break of the rope could free the pack from a mule's back on the trail. Because of the superior intelligence of the horse, and the fact that a horse could, with a minimum of persuasion, be depended upon to take and hold to a trail, every "pack outfit” of the early days was headed by what was commonly known as the "bell mare”. This "bell mare, without dridle[sic] or pack, traveled in the lead , and had a bell tied to her neck. The mules followed the tinkle of this bell, while the packer kept them in line. This outfit has just reached a “fork” in the trail. The bell mare has been headed up the desired fork, and the boo packer on the rock strewn hillside is heading off those mules who might be inclined -1- [next] to leave the train. In his right hand, the packer waves a “blind” such as were placed on mules while they were being packed. With this he is beating, (or slapping) his legging. This sharp noise, in unison with yelps and curses from his stentorian lungs, ringing and echoing up and down the mountain defile, keep the unruly animals on the move and in the right direction. As can be said of all Artist Russell’s work, this picture presents its subject just as he knew it to be. The single diamond hitch on the mule just to the rear of the bell mare is the actual packer’s hitch just as Mr. Russell, himself, had many times made, even when he was but fourteen years of age. The packer’s gun across his saddle, his outfit, his posture are naturalistic. The background is the great Continental Divide, some- where in Montana, and is wholly typical of the country that Mr. Russell dearly loved and in the heart of which he maintained a summer home. ---------------------- [Transcribed by Melynda Seaton, 2011-11-01]