The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-05-24
apse into it's primeval condition. TIL

causes are many, including bad
government. both civil and religious,
disease, warfare; and to hereditary and
hopeless laziness, the added curse OF
the mesta, or migratory system OF
Merino sheep, which are the true flocks
of the nomad Bedouin. The mesta be-
gan in this way: When the Spaniards
of the 18th century expelled the indus
trious Moors from Estramadura, they
razed the cities and ravaged the coun-
try, massacred most of the inhabitants
and drove the rest away to die in slav-
cry. The Conquerors called this ''paci-
fication:' but it made barren solitude
of the once happy Arabian Felix. Ma
ture is extremely prolific of weeds and
cacti here and soon obliterated every
trace of furrow from vast tracts which
had previously been under highest cul-
tivation. Only a very small portion of it
was ever recultivated by the lazy sol
Heterogeneous and the new popula-
ton. scanty and inefficient as it was,
persisted, almost to a man, by the great
plague of 134S: after which whole dis
tricts were left unclaimed These We're
termed valdios, (uncultivated), whence
the Spanish laW-term, valde. At
length these unclaimed pastures at
tracted the attention of highland shep-
herds from Leon and CASTLE, who drove
their tiocks down to them, as to milder
winter quarters, returning to their cool
hills on the approach of scorching sum-
mer. Hence, by degrees, prescriptive
right of occupation was claimed over
these commons, and the districts
were set apart and apportioned accord
ingly. Both climate and country sug-
gested the system, which is really Of
remotest antiquity and not unlike that
of the trattari in the Abruzzi, of Roman
times. Naturally, no end of disputes
arose between the wandering shepherds
and fixed cultivators; until in 1916 a
compromise was effected, whereby the
privileges of few of the wealthiest
sheep prevailed under the
peculiar jurisdiction known as COnsi 10
de la mesta, which was suppressed
about sixty years ago. The privilege of
the feudal union of mobiles and rich
landed proprietors, whose origin is lost
in antiquity, were abominably unjust
and oppressive. All agricultural pur-
suits were made impossible by the regu-
lation which required highways and
farms to remain unfenced near the
paths of the sheep. Even those peas
ants whose lands lay at considerable
distance from the usual track, were
not secure, but were in constant danger
Of having their crops swept away in a
moment. If there was resistance, or
remonstrance. it was punished as bar
barously as treason, and the conse-
quence WAS that the farmers growing
desperate, became outlaws and i'll turn
proved upon the society whose iniqui-
tious laws had driven them from home.
The term Melino is derived from Mar
mo. quasi ultra-marine), because the
original breed of sheep was imported
from England, under Henry II; while
Others derive the name from 1mri, the
famous tiocks of Palestine. The sheep,
called traslllmantes- the ground
they went over and deStroyed-Were di-
yided into detachments of about 10000
each. Their highland summer quarters
We're quilted late in October, for winter
ones on the warm plains-each detach-
ment managed by Mayoral, OF con
ductor, who had under him fifty shep-
herds and as many dogs. Some of the
tocks Travelled more than $50 leagues,
occupying forty days in the journey,
every night penned in with rope net
tings of Esparti. By the laws of the
Mesta. free sheep-walk, 90 PAGES wide,
was left on each side of the highway,
which entirely prevented enclosure, OIL
anything like good husbandry.
TO this day the namadic habits of the
shepherds who conduct the Merinos OH
their periodical transmigrations CON
stitute the most striking peculiarities
of Iberia peasant life and are RESPONSE
BILE for the desolation of Estramadura
The sheep are driven with crooks as in
Bible times, and shepherds still watch
their flocks by night, as when the Stal
in the East announced the birth OF
Christ. When stream is reached it is
crossed by means of pontoon bridges,
kept in appointed places for the pur-
pose. The course Of the fiocks is mark
ed by complete devastation-not green
shrub nor sprig of grass being left be
hind. Their approach is heralded from
affair by clouds of dust and the shrill
notes of the shepherds horns,
Second only to the brown sheep OF
Estramadura are the brown swine, a
portion of the province-that covered