Carrier Moles: The Hidden History
Although it has neither the romantic legacy nor the respect of the famous carrier pigeon, if you need to send a message securely, there is no better method than the carrier mole.
Carrier moles were originally bred on the steppes of Mongolia, where they are part of a long tradition. The flat geography of the steppes and the archery skills of the people made sending messages by bird impractical. To send a message with a bird did little more than provide the enemy with intelligence and a delicious meal if cooked properly. Moles, on the other hand, cannot be shot down, are incredibly difficult to intercept, are very tough, and taste of dirt.
Their first documented use in the west was by Czar Fabor II in 1605. Fabor’s short reign was during a time of deception and double crosses. Seeking help in this turbulent political climate, the innovative teenage Czar sent a carrier mole to request support. The message was delivered, but unfortunately the recipient was not a very faithful friend. No assistance arrived for poor Fabor, and he was fatally deposed less than a month later.
Despite failing to save Fabor II, carrier moles were soon prized for their discreetness and reliability. They were soon used throughout Europe. From Europe, carrier moles were exported to colonies, and sometimes even played a role in the development of burgeoning nations.
Carrier Moles in American History
Benedict Arnold used a pigeon to send his traitorous messages because he was too cheap to spring for the mole. His messages were intercepted, and his treason was discovered. Had Benedict Arnold been more concerned with security and less with his purse strings, he would have employed the use of a mole, and history would have turned out quite differently.
War of 1812 – Battle of New Orleans could have been prevented. Andrew Jackson actually received a carrier mole informing him of the end of the war. Old Hickory, however, wanted his nation to have a least one great victory in its ill-advised war, so he fought the British at New Orleans anyway, two weeks after the end of the war. He later disavowed any knowledge of a message delivered to him by subterranean means.
Civil War – It is a little known fact that a carrier mole delivered the first news of the attack of Fort Sumter to Abraham Lincoln himself. It took three weeks to restore the White House lawn to its former status.
WWI – The final use of moles to deliver messages in a major war. They were ideal for trench warfare. The carrier mole also proved an effective way to communicate across, or rather under, mustard gas filled areas of no-man’s land.
Modern Day – Today there are only two places where carrier moles can regularly be seen. They are still found in isolated regions of Mongolia and eastern Russia where they were originally bred. Outside of their homeland, carrier moles are now only seen in trendy suburban molaries. These “Mole Post Offices,” as they are often known, assist people in sending and receiving messages by mole. Usually patrons are protesting modern communication technology for one reason or another, or are elderly people who like the nostalgic feeling they get when they smell dirt on their letters.
Ways to Counter Carrier Moles
Sonic detection can spot them, but only a seismic wave generator can effectively stop them from delivering their messages. If the mole is successfully terminated, it still requires expensive and time-consuming excavation techniques to recover the message. Therefore, even to the present day the carrier mole remains a viable option for sending secure messages, as they can only be detected and effectively countered by a very well funded and well equipped enemy.
Trusting animals is always a gamble. They are treacherous, no matter if they are Aves or Mammalia, or anything else. If you ever find yourself in need of sending a message, and don’t have access to a phone, or a computer, or a post office, and you don’t know how to make signal fires, and your only option is to convey the message with animal aide, choose a mole over a pigeon. They are difficult to stop, and tough to intercept. But the greatest advantage of the carrier mole is their blindness. Even the most intelligent of moles cannot read a message they were trusted to carry.
If you ever have to trust an animal, you should trust a blind one.
