St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-06-14
FLOCKS AND HERDS IN THE MARI
TINE ALPS.

We read in Luxe ll:S OF SnepnerdS
on the hills of Palestine keeping watch
over their Aocks by night. Were
these shepherds working, or resting
from their work In other words,
were the sheep feeding, or were they
sleeping in some fold or enclosure !?
1t seems natural to suppose that both
the flocks and their guardians were
at rest. for we are not in the habit OF
regarding the sheep as a nocturnal
animal. But there is a difficulty; if
those shepherds of Bethlehem were
sleeping, how could they see that
angel and that Thea venly host ?"
Now a shepherd, like any other NOR
tai, must sleep at night il he works
all day His dogs will guard against
wild animals. amincIined to think
that these men were not resting but
at work. II Christ was born, as
some theologlans maintain, not at
Christmas, but at the vcrnal equinox,
when the sun has gained power, the
suppoSition would be much strength
ened that the hocks were feeding by
night, and the shepherds wide wake.
Whatever the custom may have
been in Palestine, the sheep on the
hills to the west of the Var, near
Nice, ieed by night during a great part
OF the year, that is during the whole
summer and far into the autumn; in
tact they avoid the sun as long as it
has any heat. Atday break the shep-
herd appears on the ridge OF the hill,
outlined against the sky. He has
chosen a spot where it is possible to
descend. A narrow track winds down
the cliff Soon the grey line of sheep
is hurrylng along the face OF the
mountain. A constant rafting is
heard as the stones slide and fail
which are set in motion by the feet
of the animals. Here and there, where
a dangerous leap had TO be taken, the
shepherd has built up kind of rude
cauSeWay to make it easier for the
weaker ones. But the goats >cOrn
any such assistance; they 60 bound.
ing down the face of the rock, paving
little attention to the path. 1t may
happen that the head of the file has
reached the valley before the last
StragglerS have lett the mountain top.
tor there are often hundreds in single
flock. Galloping along the level
ground they make for the told and
disappear. The shepherd also goes
to sleep. In the evening he leads
them out again to spend the night
upon the mountain.
Goats are mingled with the sheep.
For some reason or other the shep-
herds in these parts desire to keep as
many is possible of these destructive
animals. | suppose that they are
more profitable than sheep. But the
law allows only certain proper ton;
| think it is half a dozen goats to a
hundred sheep. This law is not
strictly obeyed. The peasants say
that sheep will not Craze by them
selves on the mountains. II there are
no goats to lead them on, they hud-
die together and refuse to move. This
is why given number of goats must
be mixed with each flock of sheep.
1t is curious that the goat should
be taken as type OF wickedness
Matt XIV, 80 and 33), whereas the
sheep is the symbol otinnocence. Per
haps the former animal gives more
trouble to the shepherd. Many a
time we have seen the goats stray
into a field OF Sainioin (Onobry chis)
when the more obedient sheep have
scampered home to pen. The Shep-
herd enc rurages this tre>passlng,
and does not permit the dog to in
teriere. But he is called to account
by the owner OF the crop, and has to
pay tor his dishonesty.
Some OF these shepherds are very
well eft, and own as many as two
thousand sheep. For the summer
they rent tract OF mountain land
in the Maritime Alps. In the win
ter they migrate ward, and hire
piece of land in the Crau or in the
Camargue. Sometimes they convey
the flock by rail, hut they generally
travel by the road. In this case
donkeyS or mules are provided to
carry the lambs which NAV be bora
during the journey Angl l-Ameri-
can, Nee, France.
ROTIYTpN ~ THE C,LDEN