Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-06-03
SHEPHERDS in CALIFORNIA
Many Seek the Calling as a Cure 70
Consumption.

Consumption.
The California shepherd is an indi-
vidual almost entirely unknown to the
rest of the world. Even the residents
of the state hardly know of his ex-
istence, while the cowboy has a world
wide fame, says the New York Tele-
gram. 1t is because the men are diff
ferent in almost every way, particular
~ in disposition. And, after all, the
difference is to large extent caused
by the animals they care for. The
villainous cowboy, who would rather
fight than eat, and thinks that the
noblest things in the world are forms
Of dissipation, can get no satisfaction
for his nature in caring for such gentle
creatures as sheep. He wants some
thing that he can swear at, like a
vicious steer, that would be only too
glad to gore him to death If he would
let him. He wants to dash wildly over
the range on pony as vicious as the
steer, or himself, for that matter, and
ride through small settlements like a
demon. The beasts in his care are not
easily hurt, and he can abuse them as
much as he feels like by lassoing
them, throwing them down and brand
ing them. There is nothing gives a
cowboy as much pleasure as branding
bull that has given him considerable
trouble. He likes to see the creature
squirm in agony as he presses the hot
iron into his flesh. To kill one that is
demoralizing to the herd is the
height of his delight. In mark
ed contrast to this individual is
the sheep herder; that is, the ma
jority of sheep herders. To be sure,
there are some almost as bad as the
cowboys, but they are for the most
part men who are employed by ranch
ers for so much month, and are dele
gated to the work as they might be
to any other work on the ranch. But
they don't like it. The real sheep
herder, and he is largely in the ma
jority, is the man who follows it in
preference to anything else. A man
who is attached to the work would
rather watch sheep on the hills than
be the president Of bank. Another
class of men who watch sheep. are
those who do it for their health. Doz-
ems of men claim to have been cured
of consumption simply by putting in
several months at watching sheep. The
work gives what is most required in
the deadly disease plenty of fresh air,
moderate exercise and employment
that is not wearing on the brain, but
is still enough to keep it occupied and
prevent nervousness. OF course, If q
man has plenty of money he can get
these things without herding sheep,
but there are many men who need
them badly who have no money, and
all who have taken advantage of this
knowledge have surely been benefited.
sheep herding have become so fas-
cinated with it that they have stuck
to it long after they got over the trou-
BILE. OF course, it is not an easy matter
to get employment of this kind, but if
the owner of the range knows the ap-
plicant he will be almost sure to give
him work, as he knows he is likely to
get good service. The pay Is small,
about $25 month and provisions,
which the man must cook himself, ex-
cept when the sheep are close to the
ranch house. But this does not hap
pen often. 1t is no matter whether the
sheep herder is an old or new hand, the
work expected of him will be the same
under any circumstances.
Sheep ranges in California are scat
tered all over the state, but the great
er number of them can be found in the
foothills of the sierras, all the way
from Siskiyou to Tehachapi and on the
other side of the mountains. The
work of looking after them lasts all
year, although more must be done at
one time than another.