Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-22
A NIGHT VISIT.

We had gone up to spend a week,
during the long, hot days of June, on
one of the beautiful islands of a fine
lake in Northern Maine. There was
seven of us, including the cook,
bright, intelligent Nova Scotian,
whom the ladies of the party ''took to"
at once, he was so attentive to their
comfort.
There was a small cottage upon the
island, in which those who desired
lodged at night; but the days were
spent out of doors, i'll the cool, swing
ing hammocks, listening to the soft
tapping of the waves upon the little
beach close at hand, or rowing lazily
over the placid blue lake; sometimes
fishing for pickerel or black bass, and
sometimes shipping the oars and lying
at ease in the shadows of the great
sombre pines that lined the shores.
At evening we all gathered in the
rustic chairs and benches on the piazza,
or in the hammocks, and told stories
for time, the captain spinning his
sea-yarns from Greenland to Southern
India, the army surgeon giving his eX-
perience of the war, and the lively
journalist his rather checkered adven-
lures, both ludicrous and pathetic, in
his peculiar line of business. Then
the young teacher from the South con-
tributed her share; the captains wife,
who was fine Violinist, gave us most
excellent music; the scribe of the party
cast in her mite; and then there was
one night more to be enlivened, and
we all fell upon the cook to furnish us
entertainments
After a good deal of protest and re-
luctance upon his part. and urging
upon ours, he told us the following,
well garnished with his Nova Scotian
dialect, which, for the readers benefit,
we will translate into the Queens
English:"
II was wild lad when twenty years
of age, and was not content to stay at
home and work with my father, who
owned farm not many miles from
Truro, Nova Scotia; so | went to Hall
fax. From here, after some months of
impecunious life, [ shipped TO Liver
pool as assistant steward on one of the
steamers, going back and forth for 6
couple of years; then, landing at Hall
fax after a particularly long and
stormy voyage. was nothing 10th to
Join couple of acquaintance who
were going out to California to work
for q wealthy gentleman, himself
native of Nova Scotia, who had pur-
chased a sheep ranch in the Southern
part of the State, and had an evident
ptrtiality for and high estimate of the
sturdy and faithful character of his
countrymen.
The sheep range was in the San
Joaquin valley. reaching out from the
river far into the foothills of the Coast
Range. The herd consisted of about
twenty thousand sheep, divided up into
flock or bands, as they are there
each band being under the charge of a
competent shepherd.
Tho twenty thousand sheep are
scattered over a large area of territory,
but each band has its own range and
S kept there by the shepherd rs long
rs there is sufficient grazing.
t'When it requires removal, then the
major domo Cor mastery sees that new
pasturage is selected, and helps con-
duct the band thither. 1t is also his
business to see that the shepherds are
faithful; that corrals are in good con-
dition; know when the sheep need new
pasturage, and to deal out the rations
to the shepherds-a round of duties
which would give one man no spare
time. | assure you.
Upon each run there is 4 strong
corral, made of brush, and sometimes
n stockade of posts besides, if in a
dangerous vicinity. Into this sheep
all have to be driven at night for pro-
lection against wild beasts, for the
California lion, the coyote and the
wildcat commit great depredations at
times among the bands.
There were grizzlies, too, in the
mountains, but they are said not to
trouble the sheep. But, one night,
about six months after my starting out
in the business, had a very loud call
from one. Whether he had been at
tracted by the sheep, or by more civil
lied fare, | can't say; but had an idea
at the time that he had been skirmish-
ing about within smelling distance,
and hid been attracted by the scent OF
sons newly-killed muttOn-a shepherd
is allowed q sheep once in three weeks
foe his meat-which l had hung up in
an oak tree near my sleeping-place.
The range that my band was graz
ing was up toward the foothills, and for
my protection against attack the ma
ior domo had erected for me a tCbiGdC
"a kind of platform ten or twelve feet
high, built upon stout posts set firmly
into the ground-to sleep upon nights
Some of the shepherds had huts. but
during the hot dry season | preferred
the platform, as safer and cooler.
Here | not only slept, but ate my
meals morning md night, and KEEP
house generally, building my fire fol
cooking off at little distance. Vi
here, too, [ kept my weeks provisions
of corn meal, bacon and other supple:
the raton-master brought out from
the home station once week to al
the shepherds; also, my trusty rifle,
with plenty of ammunition.
ITO mount it l had short ladGe
which, when drawn up, felt quite Sc
cure.
..But nobody can describe the lone
someness of the life of a shepherd. Al
day long he must wander about witt
his sheep. keeping them in sight, We
being careful to not herd them TO
closely together, with not even do!