Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-02-10
The Great Sheep Flocks
OF Russia

In no part Of the old world are there
more immense flocks of sheep than in
southern Russia, writes n. Tourneur
in the Shepherds Journal. There
where the plains or steppes stretch
across the empire from the frontiers
of Hungary TO those of Mongolia
where the country is one monotonous
level, with few trees and fewer hills
vast iiocks Of sheep roam, some pro-
prietors possessing no less than from
oUV,UO0 to $4,000 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 tempests the animals make not
the least effort to weather the violence
OF lne s.orIn, Dat run panic-stricken
before the wind, and are forced by
thousands into the streams and ra-
vines by which the steppes are inter-
goats, neither the shepherds nor their
Jugs wouIu be OF mucn service at
these times; for the sheep can but
| seldom be brought to face the terrible
winds of the great plains, or to march
during a storm into the shelter of
ravine.
But with every hundred sheep three
or four goats are kept, and as these
are easily brought to face any wind
tnaI win at All bear facing, they are
used to lead the way boldly down the
nd CHI
fonow wItnout much bother.
The herdsman of large flock or
ottara is called tschabawn. 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 pro-
gress is uniformly simple. The wagon
or wagons lead the van. the tscha-
bawn follows, and the sheep follow
him. When he comes to good pas
ture, 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 500 ewes-and
more-are in the ottara, and the
tschabawn draws the milk from them,
and places 1t in huge, shallow wooden
bowls to be exposed to the sun, and
made into a kind of cheese known as
''brnse," which is very popular in
Russia and eastern Germany. Owing
to the cheese being packed in goat
loly 10 ha
which, however. one 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 tscha-
bawn and his three or four assistants
is tolerably pleasant, though they have
TO be continually vigilant against
hieves 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, monotonous life
may bring up. Then the arrange
ments Of the night are made. The
sheep are driven up as close together
as possible, and the men and their
dogs take their post round the ottara.
Each man throws his furs. that serve
for mattress and coverlet on the spot
the tschabawn has assigned TO him,
and between every two beds of the
dogs and men the same intervals
occur.
There are as many thick sheepskins
provided as there are dogs; and as
each dog knows his own sheepskin,
all that is necess Try is to lay IL where
the dog is to take up his post for the
night. Thus, what with the men and
dogs, circle OF defense guards the
ottara.
More formidable than thieves are
the wolves which are very numerous
on the steppes. For fifty days and
nights has a pack of them been known
to hover around; and II requires all
the watchfulness OF men and their