, 1893-03-22
SHEEP SHEARING IN WESTERN
QUEENSLAND.


Taken singly or in small groups, I have
found tile men to be generally practical. in.
telligent. and reasonable, though astounding.
ly ignorant Of facts. Collectively they are
best seen at work. A shearin! shed in full
swing is q striking sight. There are two
kinds, known respectively as central boards"
and aide boards. in the one the sh~earing 10
done in the middle and the sheep are penned
all round. In the other the sheep are pen.
ned in the middle and the shearing 10 done
upon the sides. Their respective merits are
not for the uninitiated to decide. Those that
/ have seen at work chance to have been only
side boards. The sheds are huge structures
of corrugated iron, Of which the boarded
floor 10 raised a few feet from the ground.
The centre is rallied of into pens Of which
there ia one to each machine, and these ara
kept filled from the yard outside by the
station hands. Behind each machine tnsrs
is also an opening iii the outer wall and o
shoot, through which the sheep when shorn
are returned to the open air The machines,
which consist merely of combs and cutters,
attached in pairs like shears to stems render
cd flexible by a sue ession of universal joints
hang in a row from what would be the
~cornics, if there were one, of the outer wall.
AuO POWok Wy WlLCb bllOy arc 0IlVSU IL D
steam engine outside. The long stem 70
which each is attached gives the man whs
works it absolute control over its movements.
The sheep enter from one end of the shed.
At the other end there are the tables upon
which the heeces are thrown for inspection
and CHASING. Behind the tab es, on the
lower level of the ground and usually az
right angels to the shsaring boards, como the
wool room and dumping machines, where the
bales are packed. The wool in fact comes
in on the sleeps back at one end and goes
out ready for the London market at the
other. Usually the shed is open in its
upper part for the sake of air, at one il not ct
both ends and, along the sides there are
further openings which throw the light dowa
IN picturesque shoots upon the men bending
ov4r the amin lis at their feet. The scene is
always in relief against the background Of
landscape at either end and has something o.
the charm of antique sculpture in the combina.
ton Of contour light ami shade. "As q sheep
before the shearers is dumb" is q comparison
which gains fresh force from the experience.
With ~ men shearing at the rate of liz Q
lay, thousands of sheep pass within the eight
hours through tho shed, and all day there il
nothing to be reard but the gentle whir Of
the machines and the cracking of the iron
roof in the heat over head. The men are &C
silent as the sheep, while the snowy aseces
seem to peel under their hands. Their work
absorbs them and tests all their powers alike
of skill and physical endurance. The sheep
have to be carried or pulled out Of the pen
and laid PROSTATE on the floor within reach
of the machine. The wo' u from the under
parts has frs to be carefully removed, then
the fleece is opened below tie neck, and q few
long sweeps of the shearer's arm leaves it ~.
ing upon the floor, while the animal it once
belonged to-, roomically reduced in size,
shivers out to another year Of unmolested
freedom, No matter how dirty the outer
edges of the fleece my be. the inner side. a.
the attendant reuseaaout snatchss it up and
rolls it into a bundle. is always exquisitely
white. Itimei thu best shea, or Of one shed
and found that, the entire process WAS accom-.
plished in two minutes. but such . pace can
hardly be maintained. The champion
shearsr of the Barcoo did. however, main.
tain it this year during the shearing of over
two thousand sheep. aud earned . cheque for
423 IS the result Of nine days' Including swe
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