CARRIAGES.
Wagons.--A traveller's wagon should be of the simplest possible construction, and not too heavy. The Cape wagons, or, at all events, those of a few years back, undoubtedly shared the ponderousness of all Dutch workmanship. Weight is required only when crashing through a bushy country, where a wagon must break down all before it: in every other case it is objectionable. It is a saving of labour to have one large wagon, rather than two small ones, because a driver and a leader are thereby spared. But if a very light wagon has to be taken, I should greatly prefer its being made on the Swiss and German fashion, with a shifting perch as in the figure
These are the simplest of affairs, and will split up into two carts--the pole and the fore-wheels forming one, and the perch and the hind-wheels another: now, should a great loss occur among the traveller's cattle, or should he break a wheel, or even strain an axle-tree, in a timberless country, it may be very convenient to him to abandon part of his stores, and to build up a cart for carrying on the remainder. Lady Vavasour describes one of these wagons in the following graphic manner:--"The perch is moveable, and they can make it any length they please; it is of so simple a construction that every farmer can repair his own, and make anything of it. If he has a perch, a pole, and four wheels, that is enough; with a little ingenuity, he makes it carry stones, hay, earth, or anything he wants, by putting a plank at each side. When he wants a carriage for pleasure, he fits it up for that purpose; his moveable perch allows him to make it anything. I counted seventeen grown persons sitting side by side, looking most happy, in one of them, drawn only by a pair of small horses, and in this hilly country."
Drays.--Two-wheeled drays, and not wagons, are used very generally in Australia. A long bar is crossed by a short one near one of its ends,--this latter forms the axletree; the body of the dray is built where the two cross; and the cattle are yoked or harnessed to the long end of the bar, which acts as a pole.
Tarring Wheels.--Tar is absolutely essential in a hot country, to mix with the grease that is used for the wagon-wheels. Grease, alone, melts and runs away like water: the object of the tar is to give consistency to the grease; a very small proportion of tar suffices, but without any at all, a wagon is soon brought to a standstill. It is, therefore, most essential to explorers to have a sufficient quantity in reserve. Tar is also of very great use in hot dry countries for daubing over the wheels, and the woodwork generally, of wagons. During extreme heat, when the wood is ready to crack, all the paint should be scraped off it, and the tar applied plentifully. It will soak in deeply, and preserve the wood in excellent condition, both during the drought and the ensuing wet season. (See "Tar, to make.") It is not necessary to take off the wheels in order to grease the axles. It is sufficient to bore an auger-hole right through the substance of the nave, between the feet of two of the spokes, and to keep a plug in the hole. Then, when you want to tar a wheel, turn it till the hole is uppermost, take the plug out, and pour in the tar.
Breaks and Drags.--Breaks.--Every cart and wagon in Switzerland, and, indeed, in most parts of the Continent, has a break attached to it: the simplest kind of break is shown in fig. 2, which represents a cart tilted upwards. Fig 1 shows the break itself; fig. 2 explains how it is fitted on to the cart. [Fig 1.] It will easily be understood how, by tightening the free end of the cord, the break is pressed against the wheels. The bent piece of iron shown in fig. 2, by which the bar of the break is kept in its place, may be replaced by a piece of wood, or even by a thong of leather. Every explorer's wagon should be furnished with a break.
A simple break, used in Italy, in some parts of England and probably elsewhere, is shown in fig. 3. A rail is lashed to the body of the cart, both before and behind the wheel, and is made to press against the wheel. Either both lashings can be tightened at the same time, as at A, A; or only one of them, as at B. When the lashings are loose, the rail rests partly on the nave of the wheel and does not sensibly interfere with its movement.
Other Means of Checking a Wagon on a Hill-side.--In going down a steep hill a middling-sized tree may be felled, and its root tied to the hind axletree, while its branchy top sweeps along the ground, as is seen in the lowermost wagon in the sketch. [Sketch of horses and wagons on hill] In the south-west of France the leaders of the team are unharnessed and taken to the back of the wagon, to which the collar of the front horse is made fast; in this way they can aid the horses in the shafts. The same plan may be seen practised hourly in the Strand in London, whence heavy wagons are taken down a very steep and narrow lane to the Adelphi.
In descending short steep pitches, unharness the cattle, and "fasten a rope round the axle of the wagon; then passing the other end round a tree or rock as a check, you may let her slide, which she will do without any further trouble on your part." (F. Marryat.)
In some places the hind wheels are taken off, and sledge runners are fitted to the hind axletree. This is an excellent plan; it has the further advantage that the wagon settles down into a more horizontal position than before. I have seen timber carried on a wagon down a steep hill by separating the front wheels from the hind ones, lashing a trail (see "Travail" below) or two short poles to the fore axletree, and resting one end of the timber on the hind axletree, and the other end on the trail.
Shoe the wheel on the side furthest from the precipice.
If you have to leave a cart or wagon untended for a while, lock the wheel.
Sledges.--When carrying wood or stones, and doing other heavy work, a traveller should spare his wagon and use a sledge. This is made by cutting down a forked tree, lopping off its branches, and shaping it a little with an axe. If necessary, a few bars may be fixed across the fork so as to make a stage. Great distances may be traversed by one of these rude affairs, if the country is not very stony. Should it capsize, no great harm is done; and if it breaks down, or is found to have been badly made, an hour's labour will suffice to construct another. Sledges are very useful where there is an abundance of horse or ox power, but no wagon or packing-gear.
North American Travail.--In a North American Indian horse "travail," the crossing of the poles (they are the poles of the wigwams) usually rests on a rough pack-saddle or pad, which a breast-strap keeps from slipping backwards. In a dog travail the cross of the poles rests on the back of the neck, and is kept in place by a breast or rather a neck strap; the poles are wrapped with pieces of buffalo robe where they press against the dog. Captain Blakiston--a very accurate authority--considers that a horse will travel 30 miles in the day, dragging on the travail a weight of about 200 lbs., including a child, whose mother sits on the horse's back; and that a dog, the size of an average retriever, will draw about 80 lbs. for the same distance. (N.B. The North American plains are perfectly level.)
Palanquins, carried like sedan-chairs, between two animals--one going before the other in shafts--are in use in various countries; but I am not aware that explorers have ever properly tried them. Their advantage would lie in combining the convenience of a cart with much of the independence of pack-horses. For whatever is lashed on a pack-saddle must be securely tied up; it is therefore severely compressed, and cannot be taken out en route. But with a cart or a palanquin there is no such inconvenience: things may be quickly thrown into them or taken out; pockets and drawers may be fitted up; and the palanquin would afford some shelter in rain. I should think it would be well worth while to try one of these contrivances. It might be made en route; first accustoming the animals, when carrying their packs, to walk between long shafts, then, after some days, taking the load off their saddles, and lashing them on to the shafts. If all went well, a regular palanquin might be constructed with legs, to be let down when the animals are off-packed, and on which it might stand until ready to be again carried onwards. Half-a-dozen palanquins in file would make a pretty, and, I should think, a manageable and effective caravan. Asses ought to be able to carry them well; a couple of asses would probably carry a greater weight than a single pack-horse, and would give no greater trouble; if so, their hardiness would be invaluable.