Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-06-18
Shepherd Life in California,


er, in the vernacular-in California is no
sinecure. During the greater part of the
year-in fact, at all times except "lamb-
ing," and when engaged at the home
ranch, at the momentous epochs of
"shearing" and "dipping"-the shepherd
lives as solitary life as that of any
early Christian hermit in the wilds of
Sinai or the Nubian desert. He is rele-
gated to the company of his sheep and
his dog-if he has one, for some sheep
owners will not permit the use of dogs.
They are his only associates of the ami
NAL world as the days and weeks speed
on. Once week, perhaps, the man who
carries the rations around to the various
camps may chat with him for minute
or two if he has time; but more fire.
quently will not see him at all, leaving
the grub" at the camp, while the shep-
herd may be two or three miles away
with his band. Once in a while, too,
the "boss," or major-domo, may ride
round-generally when he is least ex-
pected-to catch him mapping, to give
him orders about changing his feed, OF to
look into the condition of the flock, as
the case may be. But, apart from theae
casualties, the shepherd is, so far as hu-
man intercourse is concerned, as COM
pletely alone as if he were in solitary
confinement in penitentiary. The near
er the man approaches the brute in ma
ture, the better fitted is he for this bust
ness; and perhaps the best shepherds of
all are Mexicans or native Californians.
The home of Californian shepherd is a
cabin, sometimes made of rough boards,
sometimes of redwood Shakes" about
twelve feet by eight, supplied, in regions
where wood is plentiful, with a rude
stone fireplace, or small sheet-iron
cooking stove. Sometimes merely a tent
is provided, and the herder does his cook
ing as he can, outside. During the sum-
mer this latter class Of domicile is not
unpleasant, that is, if it can be pitched
under the shade of tree; but woe to
the luckless herder who is compelled to
camp in tent upon the bare California
plains beneath a nearly vertical sun
His cabin is provided with small deal
table, stool or two, some shelves on the
wall, and a bunk made of deal boards
attached to one of the walls; and if he
is in luck, OF has boss" who has a lit
tie respect for his help-which the "boss-
es" rarely have-a stove or fireplace.
The floor of the cabin is usually literally
a ground floor" though instances of
shepherds huts being built with plank
foorings are getting more common in the
case of recent erections. His cooking
utensils consist of cofee-pot. baking
pan. frying pan and goblet; his dishes
are usually limited to tin plate, cup,
knife, fork and spoon. The rations of a
shepherd consist of sack of flour, bag
of beans, a sack of potatoes, some coffee,
tea, sugar, salt, ETC., with the privilege
of killing sheep when out of meat, OF
the allowance of quarter of mutton
killed at the home ranch, and packed
round by the ''packer'-as the man who
brings round rations to the camp is call
ed-once week. This is supposed to be
the most niggard estimate in the way of
rations, but we have known cases where
even this poor supply has been suffered
to fall short, through the niggardliness
of "bosses," or the neglect of packers y
and where the poor herder has been re-
duced to the single articles of beans and
salt, together, of course, with the mutton
it was always in his power to supply
himself with.