The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1880-08-07
Shepherd Life i'm California,

| Inc lite OF shepherd 20, sheep-nerG-
er, in the vernacular--in California, il no
slnecure. 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 dip
ping" and "shearing shepherd
lives as solitary life as that Of an early
| Christian hermit in the wilds OF Sinai or
the Nubian desert. He is relegated to
the company of his sheep, and his dog
| ii he has one, for some sheep owners will
not permit tire use Of dogs. They are
his only associates Of the animal world
as the days and weeks speed on. Once a
week, perhaps, the man who carries the
rations around to the various camps may
chat with him minute or two, If he has
time; but more frequently will not see
him at all, leaving the grub at the
camp, while the shepherd may be two or
three miles away with his band. Once
III a while, too, the "boss.' or major. .domo,
may ride round generally when he is
least expected--to catch him mapping, to
give orders about changing his teed, or
| to look int the conditiaxs OF the flock,
as the case may be. But, apart from
these casualties, the shepherd IS, SO tar
! as human intercourse Is concerned,
as completely alone as II he were in soil
tary confinement in penitentiary. The
| nearer the man approaches the brute "a
nature, the better fitted he is for this bus
mess; and perhaps the best shepherds OF
ali are MeAicans or native Californlans.
The hone Of Californian shepherd is
a cabin, sometimes made OF rough boards
and sometimes Of redwood .sshakes, :
aboat twelve feet by eight, supplied il
regions where wood is plentiful witt a
rude stone fireplace, or small, sheet-l7on
cooking stove. Sometimes merely /. tent
is provided, and the herder does his
cooking as best he can, outside. During
The whole summer this latter class
of domiclle is not unpleasant, that Is, if
| it can be pitched under the shade of Q
| tree, but woe to the luckless herdeI wno
is obliged to camp in s tent upon the
bare California plains, beneath . nearly
vertical SUM- His cabin is provided with
small deal table, a stool or two. some
| shelves on tie wall, and . bunk made Of
deal boards attached to one of the walls
and II he is in luck, or has "boss'' who
has little respect for his help which
said persons rarely have-a stove or fire.
place. The floor Of the cabin is literally
ground floor, although instances Of
shepherds huts being built with plank
flooring are getting more common ID the
case Of recent erection. His cooking
utensils consists Of coffee pot, baking
pan, frying-pan and goblet; his dishes
are usually limited to tin plate, cup,
knife. fork, anG spoon.
The rations Of . shepherd consist OF 8
sack of -four, bag OF beaas, s seek Of
potatoes, some coffee. tea, sugar, salt, &c,
with either the privilege OF killing q
sheep when out ot meat, or the allow
ance Of quarter Of mutton killed at the
home ranch, and packed round by the
'packcr"-as the man who brings round
! ratlons to the camps is called-once 8
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 70 fal.
short though the niggardliness of"boss
| ess,' oI the neglect OF packers" and
where the poor herder has beer reduced
| to the SINGLE articles OF beans and salt
together, Of course, with tie mutton i
was always in his p ver 70 supply him
sell with. -CahJorniaa