New Britain herald., 1915-01-29
The Great Sheep E1ocxs of Russia

The Great Sheep E1ocl<s of Russia.
 In no part of the old world are than in southern Russia, writes N. Tourneur in The Shepherds Journal. l There, where the plains or steppes strech across the empire from the frontier of Hungary to those of Mon- gclia-where the country is one mon- otonous level, with few trees and few CT hills-Vast hocl1s of sheep roam, some proprietors possessing no less than from 5000 to 600,0 900 of them The number of sheep reared on the steppes increases year after year But they are exposed to the most severe privations, for the scorching heats of summer and the freezing blasts of winter are alike tremendous, while the hurricanes that burst over the plains are as bad as either. During the tem- pests the animals make not the least effort to weather the violence of the storm, but run panic-stricken before the wind, and are forced by thousands into the streams and ravines by which the steppes are intersected. Were it not for the use of goats, neither the shepherds nor their dogs would be of much service at these times; for the sheep can but seldom be brought to face the terrible winds of the great plains, or to march dur ing storm into the shelter of D ravine.
 But with every hundred sheep three or four goats are kept and as these are easily brought to face any wind that will at all bear facing, they are 1,a hn1 h most rugged descents; and the sheep follow without much bother.
 The herdsman of a large flock or ottara is caled a tscha bawn. The tschabawn usually has one or two wagons drawn by oxen, in which are carried his provisions and cooking utensils, together with the skins of the sheep that have died and those of the wolves he has been fortunate enough to kill. The order of his progress is uniformily simple. The wagon or wagons lead the van, the tschabawn follows, and the sheep follow him. When he comes to good pasture, he does not leave till the grass has been eaten down; and even on the march his encampment for the night is often no more than two or three miles from where he started in the dewy morning.
 Five hundred to six hundred ewes- and more-ere in the ottara and the tschabawn draws the milk from them, and places it in huge. shallow wooden bowls to be exposed to the sun, and made into a kind of cheese known as "brinse,' which is very popular in Russia and eastern Germany. Owing to the cheese being packed in goat
 
 which, however, an gets to like after time.
 During the severe winter months the sheep are placed in shelter, but all spring, summer and autumn they are pasturing on the plains. So long as the weather is fine and predatory enemies are absent, the life of a >tschabawn and his three or four as- sistants is tolerably pleasant. Though they have to be continually vigilant against thieves and wolves.
 When the evening meal is done the shepherds and their dogs sit for an hour or two before their blazing fire of dry reeds and grass discussing such things as their lonely, monoto- nous life may bring up, Then the ar engagements of the night are made. The sheep are driven up as close to- gether as possible, and the men and their dogs take their post round the ottara Each man throws his furs, that serve for mattress and coverIer. on the spot the tschaba has as signed to him, and between every two beds of the dogs and men the same: intervals occur.
 There are as many thick sheepskns provided as there are dogs; and as each dog knows. his own sheepsLin, ell that is necessary is to lay it where the dog is to take up his post for the night Thus, what with the men and the dogs. a circle or defense guards the ottara.
 More formidable than thieves are the wolves, which are very numerous on the stcppes. For fifty days and nights has a pack of them been known tn hover around: and it requires all the Watchfulness of the men and their great dogs to ward off the voraciOus attackers. On the other hand, as a wolfskin is of much worth the tscha bawn and his men are usually eager to meet with such an enemy.