The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-08-31

the herd ready to leave Switzerland
there were but five days left IN
which to catch the only available
freighter which was to sail from the
mort of Havre. An obllging state
agent was induced for consldera-
ton to attach the goat cars TO Ine
fast mail, and thus the little anlmals
began their journey to the promised
land in style. But like other Journeys
to promised lands they are easier be-
gun than ended.
A Stop in West Indies.
They sailed from Havre in October
bound for Martinique in the west IN
dies. In order to bring the herd lnto
the United States it was necessary
for De Ham to establish his residence
in some country against which the
! United States does not MAINTAIN
quarantine.
The change was hard on them one
month climbing the steep pastures OF
their native land, the next penned IN
on the heaving deck of frelghter;
one month feeling the crisp cold OF the
Aims. the next the languor OF the trop-
! les.
Perhaps. too, they missed the
soft caresses of their little SWISS play
mates, for nearly every one OF them
was the pet of some Swiss home IL
was the original plan to remain IN
Martinique until warm weather could
be expected, when they should arrive
at Leeds. However, the climate OF
the tropical island proved so trying
for them that as soon as possible they
were brought to the United States.
They left Martinique in March, arrlv-
ing in New Jersey in The raw cold OF
la prolonged winter.
Pneumonia Makes lnrOads.
Again the change of climate took its
toll of the little creatures. Already
weakened by the enervating climate,
the extreme changes in temperature
and conditions they fell an easy prey
to the inroads of pneumonia, until on
a dread day twenty of the herd made
pitiful funeral pyre on the bleak
sands of New Jersey.
When the herd was finally released
from quarantine seven months had
elapsed since they were shipped from
Havre They were still hundreds of
miles from their future home. De
Ham decided to spare them the trip
across the states in stock cars, for the
banging noisy stock train
would have been another test to their
already weakened from
their long pilgrimage, and so they ar
rived by express in Sioux City in May,
140 of them surviving the trip.
After such an experience it is not
that the bucks have an ap-
pearance of venerable wisdom, which
is enhanced by the beard of the proph
ct with which nature has endowed
them.
Transported to Goats Paradise.
Transported from the sparse herb
age of the Alps to the fairness of
white clover meadow in Woodbury.
county must have exceeded the wild
est hopes of the most imaginative of
goats. Instead of climbing mountains
in search of any feed whatever, they
find the fat of the land and the full
ness thereof served up to them on a
big, green, magic platter from which
they eat to repletion at will.
However, this prosperity has by no
means turned their heads, for they
are not above trying to tase anything
that offers. In fact the only Difficult
ty in the way of kodaking them is
their tendency to try to bite out of
the little black box seemingly held out
to them. Nor di 6they disdain to
sample a straw hat, though it was on
Iy SO hat-after the fourth 81.
Goats milk has been used by man
since the beginning. In fact it is al
legged by those who claim to have
knowledge of such time and things
that the goat was the first aid Adam
enlisted when he had to go to work
for his living. This statement seems
not improbable when we consider the
subsequent life and habits of the ami
nal in question. All things consider
ed the goat is easy"
Though long used byth Oriental
and European peoples the milk goat is
practically a stranger in the United
States. There are some few herds
scattered through the country, but the
herd at Leeds is the most important,
being the largest herd composed en-
tirely of pure-bred Swiss born mich
goats in the United States.