The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1898-01-29

OVER PLAINS AND MOUNTAINS
How Ranching is Carried On In California
"a Night with Mexican sheep-herders
Farming Seventy Miles from
Railroad. 81
DEAR EDITOR: Temblor ranch IS named
from Temblor mountain. ssIemblor'' lis
a Spanish word signifying earthquake.
And here we are fifty five miles west Of
Bakersfield. This ranch is the halfway
house between civilization on the east
and civilization on the west. It is the
only stopping point for IS or 20 n lies
across plains and over mountains.
That's why we are here. a ten-room
house, a blacksmith-shop, large barn,
storehouse and big sheep corral COM
prise the improvements in sight and
that's about all-ch1nked in here
at the base of this stupendous
mountain. To the east lies the great
valley we have crossed, ard westward
nothing is to be seen but the legged
peaks Of the Coast Range. This is a
typical sheep ranch. All the land here
abouts isn't owned by Miller and Lux,
the millionaire cattle kings, but they may
use it to Craze over the same as if they
could read. their titles clear. There's
| nobody here to object.
At o'clock the herders came trooping
IN with focks of sheep. Nobody knows
how mnch noice five thousand abe->
bodied sheep will make until he listens
to their gable. These sheep are driven
out at daybreak each day, and the sheep
herder in charge doesn't return them un-
til evening. A sheep will 60 twelve hours
without water and not suffer. That is
why cattle can not be ranged here-too
far to water. The only water herea-
| bouts is at this ranch. r.
| An Eastern man would say there
wasn't enough grass on Thousand acres
in the vicinity Of this ranch to keep a
dozen sheep week, and yet these white
1eeced animals lick up the brown, chippy
grass which lies like chaff on the ground,
and are actually fattening.
How natural it IS for Mex1cans to
handle sheep Nearly all the help at
this ranch are Mexicans. They came in
just at dusk, swarthy follows that they
are chattering and jabberiDg jovially.
At 7:30 o'clock big triangle sounded,
and break was made for supper. :
AS there was company" in camp, Billy
the cook, not he who played so promin-
ent part in 'Trilby," but quite as inter-
esting and unique parsonage, requested
his guests in advance to take the head of
the table, and so we were there seated
when the swarthY natives from our Sis
ter republic to the south of us took their
seats. There were ten of them.
'You see," said Billy, "sometimes I
have fifteen or twenty boarders, and then,
again don't have five. The help comes
and goes. To-day there may be 5000
head of sheep on this ranch, and to- NOR
row there may not be 1000 head. Sheep
must be constantly changed from one
pasture to another. They'll die if not
changed; and with these changes 80 the
men,"
Eggs, mutton stew, boiled beef, beans,
bread and butter, coffee and apple sauce
constitute the bill of fare. The food was
appetizing, will served, and we ate with
a relish. +
For an hour after supper the men chat
ted and 'yarned" and then rolld up in
} their blankets for the night. Half a
dozen of them took possession of the
porch, while some went out and laid on
the ground. None of them slept indoors
Not sound during the night to disturb
, us in that far-away camp! But on the
morning the first CLEAN Of day brought
them out, and they we're not two minutes
: in making their toilets and rolling ur
their Blankets. After looking these fel.
lows over, all of whom seemed to be wei
nigh physical perfection decided then
and there that downy couches, broadcloth
garments and rich pastry isn't Essential
> to the rounding out of the physical man
,, Our stay was really pleasant here
The room assigned was large, we'll furn
ished, tidy and the sheets and towels
: and pillows were spotless.
Billy, our host, kindly bachelor
4 about IS years of age, who had evidently
years sojourn, during which time, he hao
5 not lost day or left that isolated spot
was constantly opologizing. He fancie6
: be brought us ''extra strong" coffee, auC
of superior" butter cakes. It was sc
l long since he had seen company" thai
he was bound to do the right thing
. Upon taking our departure be brought
S out half a dozen pomegranates and {
large rattle from a snake, which he insis.
ted that we keep as souvenirs,
'The rattle" said he, Il got day before
yesterday. 4 big RATHER was trying tx
take a sun-bath on my front steps.
can stand snakes most anywhere, but
draw the line when they climb up hero
] just can't and won't stand it. "Oh!'
said he, "by the way, guess your bee
. was clear, warn't it,"
Il don't believe understand you,'
: quoth I.
"Why, you know the scorpions anc
centipedes and tarantulas are dreadfully
/ bothersome here, and didn't know bu
you might ha' found some in your We'd!
q "No, we didn't find any!''
DWELL, I'm dreadfully glad; they dom
: make real comfortable bed-fellows," ane
Billy seemed real pleased to know tina
:. none Of the poisonous vermin he hae
named had molested us. :. ~
Upon leaving this ranch we at once be