The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-11-15

spring up in some places almost as high
as trees. Graceful, fower--covcred
torch-wecds grow among them, while
foxgloves, artemisias and other blooms
produce virgin forest on small scale.
Here the she-wolf has her lair, and
hither she flies to hide her progeny from
their numerous foes, at the head of
which is their father: here too, is the
uncanny schelto-pusik, a species of
lizard, whose size and form startle the
traveller who has heard of poisonous
snakes in these wllds and though tie
steppe appears empty and barren Of life
it contains abundance of it. Long trains
of ants cross it in all directions, bees,
flies and other insects fiji: about, while
huge spiders spin their treacherous webs
from stalk to s,alk till whole patches are
covered with their nets; locusts and
grasshoppers fit through the verdure !;
m)les and marmets sun themselves
before their burrows, the hare comes
lcaping up devoid of fear, and hawks
and kites. dart along eagerly seeking
their prey. All these Arcadian sights
and sounds and many more the Doctor
describes. His days were spent in the
chase, or else in surveying districts de-
voted to the herds, of which he says,
speaking of horses Gone almost fan
cies themselves on the South American
plains when tabun of half-wild, steppo
horses comes dashing along, driven by a
Tartar halt. breed, clothed in the garb of
raggedness in front the leader charges
on, despising danger The colts, bound
ing from side to side, receive warning
bites to keep them from straying, and
the wild eyes and tails reaching to the
ground perfect The impression received
DIR. Hamm also depicts with graphic skill
the arts practised in taking horses,
which are similar to those in use among
our own herdsmen in the West, and
alludes to the vast herds of whitish-gray
oxen which roam those wilds, which,
while they put on bold front and are
tiercc-looking, yet bound away ike ags
upon the slightest appearance of danger.
The chief staple Of the steppcs is wool,
of which he says: " a German colonist
who began short time since with no
possession but his strong arms and head,
has now 100000 merinos. AS each
fleece averages FIVE pounds unwashed,
owing to the want of water in that
country, this man has an income Of 22j,-
900 silver roublcs Ia roublc being
Seventy-five centS( from The flocks alone
The native sheep is the fat all, a
descendant of the Syrian breed. Unfor-
tunately, shccp-brce here is attend
ed with many dangers not known in
Europe, the most terrible of which are
the snow storms. Unless the shepherd
is weather enough to forcsee them,
the most awful storms suddenly burst
upon him, the air is full of driving Jumps
of snow which fall with a terrible rattle,
depriving the boldest of his senses
under such circumstances there is ne
resource but to sit down and wait.
"The sheep do not posses that
patience of which they are the symbol
the wind, the snow and the blows drive
them mad their feeces become SO
loaded that they freeze hard, and their
eyes so hidden that they become blind.
At such times they can be no longer
checked, and they speed away over hill
and dale until the rivers, into which
they have dashed in their mad career,
become dangerously swollen with their
bodies. Even when their better star
brings them up against some wall they
are not saved, il the storm lasts fol
days, as it does at times for if the
shepherd finds them, which is very
doubtful, there is no way of removing
them but to carry them one by one
away, and the places of refuge are OTTER
miles distant. In addition to this the
wolves annually carry off large num-
bers.
Huge fires arc lighted on these
steppes by the peasants for the purpose
of destroying the burian, which roll ovel
the surface destroying everything greer
in the way. After such visitations the
land gapes with thousand cracks, anC
the blackened skeletons of plants arc
everywhere visible. The rains fnall,
wash them into the earth, and with the
return of Spring the was ed plains grow
bright again with verdure which beauti.
6es the landscape and restores the herd.
that have suffered during the Winter
for want of it. The locusts roam ovel
these tracts in numbers appalling to con.
template, and in short time lay waste
everything before them. The people
rally in great force to brighten then
away, even telling the green corn t.
save it; but so fierce is their onslaught
that but little is rescued from them"
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DRYING PUMpKINs.-W love pumpkin
pies, especially when there is not an album
dance of tree fruit. We have tried al
modes Of drying, but no plan is equal, We
think, to this: Take the ripe pumpkin
pare, cut into small pieces, stew soft, masl
and strain through a cullender, as if fol
making pies. Spread this pulp on plates OF
layers not quite an inch thick dry it dowr
IN the stove oven, kept at so low tempara
ture as not to scourch it. The sheets thu:
made can be slowed away in dry place
and they are always ready for use for pie.
or sauce. Soak The pieces ovel night in {
little milk, and they will return to a nice
pulp, as DELICIOUS as a fresh pumpkin-wt
think much more 50. The quick drync
after cooking prevents any portion from
slightly souring as is always the case wher
the uncooked pies are dried the flavor il
much better preserved, and the after cook
ing is saved. This plan is quite as little
trouble us the old mode, to say nothing O
the superiority in the quality of the materia
| obtained Try - o,d