The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-06-16
THE ARIZONA SHEPHERD.
4 LIFE WHICH PRESENTS BUT FEW
ATTRACTIVE FEATURES.

~ FHS u I'VE TEN OnGOs
No Great Manual Labor and Still Less
Mental Exertion-Camp and Cooking
Utensils-Preparins the Modest Even
ing NIeal-A Nights Lodging.
If the ancients deemed this life one of the
happiest that man could engage in merely
because it involves no great manual labor
and still less mental, 1 most heartily agres
with them, for can imagine no life, unless
it be that of the professional idler, that re-
quires less of these ingredients than that Of
the sheep-herder. There may be one or two
months in the year when be is compelled to
make a pretense of exerting himself, but
during the remaining ten months his life
work is to wander lazily up and down.
through the woods, kicking small stones out
of his pathway and whistling till the very
trees around him groan. His only care Is to-
see that the flock does not wander too Tar
from tie camp and that no way ward sheep
strays from the main band 1t gives him
no particular trouble to keep them at o.
reasonable distance from the place Of rem.
dezvous and should any black sheep become
so perverse as to attempt to sever all COD
nections with his fellows, and to wander out
into the wicked world all by himself, mere
'shoo, there, and stone well aimed quickly
strikes terror into his rebellious heart and
causes him to seek once more the society
from which he sought to separate himself
This, then, constitutes for the greater part
Of the year what the sheep -herder is pleased
to call his daily labor. But his labors do
not cease with the day, for when darkness
approaches be returns, not to the bosom OF
his family" but to his lonely and uninvit-
ing camp where he prepares his frugal
meals, and indulges in the "balmy," to use
favorite Expression Of thu poetic Mr..
Swiveller.
The camp usually consists Of a small tent.
in which are stored the scanty provisions
and the necessary cooking utensils. Before
the tent a few sapling pine trees, II they can
he readily obtained, are arranged in such
manner as to form a small inclosure, and
within tlis inclosure a blazing fire Of pine
logs, which answers tue triple purpose OF
heating stove, cooking stove, AMI lamp, is
kept burning during the lonely hours OF tho
long winter evenings, ami its lnmbent flames
light up the forest far and wide With sort
MEAL AND NIGHTS LODGING.
Upon reaching camp the herder's first
care is to prepare his modest evening meal
With this and in view he melts quantity
Of snow in tin kettle, thus obtaining sutti-
cient water with which to maze bread and
coffee. The bread is baked in sort of iron
oven, having closely fitting iron cover:
This oven, in which the dough is placed, Is
covered with glowing Goals, and in very
few moments well-baked, but extremely
attempting loaf, is turned out The bread
and coffee boing in readiness, cths would-bs
cook applies himself to the cooking OF meat,
which is, except on state occasions, mutton.
The meat is cut into large pieces and Placed
in a frying pan over the Goals, where it II
allowed to remain until the external portions
at least have become Drowned. 1t matters
very little whether the interior be cooked or.
not
To such repast, with the possible addi-
tion of few potatoes, onions, or beans, the
sheep-herder diligently applies himself each
morning anil evening of the greater part OF
the year. His table is the bare ground, his
table. .cloth-such an article is utterly un-
known He usually eats from the dishes IN
which the food has been cooked, and, though
knives and forks may always be found in
the camp, he prefers his fingers, acting on
the principle that fingers were made
before forks" After this barbarous rite is
concluded, he Is at liberty to indulge in his
favorite pastime Of whistling, or, if he be q
Mexican, in brushing his teeth with an in
strumens which he calls "harp," but which
in musical circles is generally designated as
the "villainous mouth-organ, until be feels
disposed to retire This is q very simple
operation, and does not require much prepa-
ration. Two or three sheep skins that serve
as mattress are placed on the ground, and a
few blankets are placed over these, which
with coat for pillow, make up the royal
couch. Divestiug himself Of 10 other articles
of apparel except his coat and boots, the
herder wraps himself in his blankets, and Is
all prepared to receive the god of sleep
whenever his majesty may be pleased to ap~
pear lie sleeps in bissful inconsistencies
of all around until the newborn light tells.
him that another day has begun. Then,
casting his blankets aside and drawing on
his boots and coat, he Immediately proceeds,
to prepare breakfast, which is essentially
the same as the meal Of the previous even
ing. This being finished, he drives his
bleatiug focks to their pasture, and per-
forms the same round Of duties as on the
preceding day.-M j. Rordan in Chicago
Times