Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-05-26

highland shepherds from Leon and cas-
tile. who drove their tlOCks down 10
them. as 10 milder winter quarters re-
turning 20 their cool hills Oh the ape
proach Of scorching summer. Hence. by
degrees. prescriptlve right OF oglst-
ment was claimed over these com
mons" and the districts were set apart
and apportlone9 accordingly Both cll-
mate and country suggested the system,
which is really OF remotest antiquity,
and not unlike that Of the trattari In
the Abruzzi. Of Roman times. Natur-
ally. no end OF disputes arose between
the wandering shepherds and fixed cul-
tiyators; until in 1876 a compromise was
effected where by the privileges OF
few OF the wealthiest sheep proprlet0rs
prevailed under the peculiar jurisdic-
ton known as Consljo de la mesta,
which was suppressed about sixty years
ago
The privileges Of the feudal union Of
mobiles and rich landed pr0prletors,
whose origin Is lost IN antiquity, were
abominaby unjust and oppressive. All
agricultural pursuits were made impos-
sible by the regulation which required
highways and farms TO remain un-
fenced near the paths Of the sheep.
Even those peasants whose lands lay
az considerable distance from the usual
track. were not secure, but were In
constant danger OF having their crops
swept away In q moment. il there was
resistance, or remonstrance. IL was
punished as barbarOusly as treason,
and the consequence was that the
farmers, growing desperate, became
outlaws and Ia turn preyed upon the
society whose Ubiquitous laws had
driven him from home.
The term Merino Is derived from
Marino quasi a-marine) because
the original breed NJ sheep was import
ed from England, under Henry II;
while others derive the name from lmrl,
the famous nocks OF Palestine. The
sheep, called trashumantes-frOm the
ground they went over and destroyed,
were divided into detachments OF about
10000 each. Their highland summer
quarters were quilted late in October,
for winter ones on the warm plains
each detachment managed by mayor
a. or conductor, who had under him
fifty shepherds and az many dogs.
Some OF the flocks travelled more than
$50 leagues occupying forty days In the
journey every night penned In with
rope MEETINGS Of Esparti. BY the laws
Of the mesla, a free sheep-walk 20
PAGES wide. was left on each side Of the
highway, which entirely prevented en-
closure, or anything like good husband
~.
To this day the nomadlc habits OF the
shepherds who conduct the Merlnos on
their periodical transmigratlons. con-
stltute the most striking popularity Of
Iberia peasant life and are responsible
for the desolatlon of Estramadura.
The sheep are driven with crooks az IN
Bible times. and shepherds still watch
their hocks by night, as when the star
IA the East announced the birth Of
Christ When a stream Is reached Il Is
crossed by means OF pontoon bridges,
kept in appointed places for the pur-
pose. The course Of the focks Is
marked By complete deYastatlOn-not a
green shrub nor sprlg OF grass being
left behind Their approach Is herald
ed from afar by clouds Of dust and the
shrlll notes OF the shepherds horns.
Second only to the brown sheep OF
Estramadura are the brown swine
portion OF the prOvince-that covered
with forests or oak and cork trees be-
Ing porcine paradise. whose sausages,
hams and pig-skins are famed through
out Europe To this day about the only
roads IN Estramadura are those made
by sheep and swine; yet the strange
province has produced two very great
meu-Pizarro and Corteg who were
both swlne-herds and sailed forth TO
conquer a new world-one from the VIII
lage OF Trujillo, the other from Medel-
lin
The imperial city of Toledo. whose
boast Is that she has been free since
the time Of the GOths. lies upon a hill
top and Is most imposing when seen
from afar SO steep IS the street lead
Ing % from the railway 'station that
the traveller should not trust his prec-
iOus bones 10 any wheeled vehicle for
bones are not easily mended In Spain.
but walk 20 his hotel In the heart Of the
city. crossing the old Roman bridge and
avoiding deceptive Short cuts
FANNIE 3. WARD.