The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-06-04

: and he sought In every way to con
serve all such native elements a.
would make for happiness and patri
otism, for race expression and for In
dividual glory.
The herdsman of the Carmague IL
, picturesque figure. Living a lonely
life among herds Of black cattle ant
half wild horses. he has developed
the same manly traits that distinguish
the western cowboy Courage, chival-
ry, determination, endurance-all art
his. But individualism and self-reli-
ance left small place for patriotism
and 1t was here that the poet hoped
to round o1t the character of the fear
less rider.
Hence the rodeo, or roundup, has
become a cultural conference, during
which the freedom-loving guardians, or
herdsmen, impress upon themselves
the mark of Provence while they brand
their cattle with the initial or heraldic
emblem which distinguishes their live
stock.
Women and Home Life.
The women have not been neglected
in this plan to unite the people of
Provence into happy family of fam
lilies. Their lovely dress has been re-
vived and the fashion dictates Of Paris
| repudiated in favor of costume which
was not only the costume Of their
| mothers but which is beautiful In Its
own right.
The interest of the Provencal herds
man Is In his ranch and herds, but
home means the more to him for all
that. Nor is he ashamed to live under
the same roof with his animals or har-
vest. The flavor of the soil per1aeates
the very home life of the Cam argue
peasant
Near the house one Is sure to note
the tree or trees which add distinc-
ton to the spot. Trees are few and
far between in the Camargue. The
graceful poplars, which add charm to
more sheltered parts of Provence, are
seldom found between the two main
mouths of the Rhone for such tower
ing stateliness cannot withstand the
unrelenting blasts Of the mistral; but
a clump of stout, low trees or somber
expresses is fostered by the farmers Of
the Camargue much as the solitary
trees of Palestine are protected by
the guardians Of the holy tombs o.
the saints.
The rude well without a sweep, thu
creaking grindstone, the clutter Of out
worn tools, the peculiar spindle fol
making the seden, or horsehair lariat
the rickety ladder, the email stacks OF
coarse fodder-these are the homely |
features that surrounds the mas.
To an extent that is not common in
cities, the mas is the true home of the |
people. In an inhospitable land, the |
home is the welcome retreat of host !
as we'll as stranger. The warm hearts
and hearths of Camargue are ample
for the desolation Of the
outer world.
The gardian of Camargue can be
likened not only to the American cow
puncher, but also to the vaquero OF
Spain, the gaucho of South American
and to the rough riders Of
Australian stations or the South AT
rican veldt. He is, however a special
type, having more to do than protect
cattle or horses. More than all else
The gardian Is preserving the old ira.
iitions of the Camargue peasant, his
customs, his melodious Provencal Ian
,uage, and something of his old-faSh-
oned dress.
The gardian still wears bright
,olored shirt and black coat lined
With velvet. His trousers are Of brown
10th, resembling leather, and are sup
ported by a taiolo, kind of large
vollen belt several yards long.
The rlghthand man of the gardlan
s the Camargue pony. Light gray In
olor and with a shaggy coat. the
teed has hang-dog air and an I'M
empt appearance. His low-hanging
ead, big and square, has sleepy eyes /,
nd a quiet expression. But lever did
more dsarming appearance camou-
age a more satanic spirit. When
this Rip Van Wrinkle among
orses becomes spirited and full of
he devil, half wild and with a savage /
emper.
Scientific men have searched In vain r
Or an explanation Of the origin Of /;
ne Camargue pony. Some say he Is
escended from Numidian horses
rought over by the Roman cavalry; I
Tiers ascribe his ancestry to the v
orses left in the Rhone delta by tho t.
aracens. He resembles the long o
aired horse Of Tibet and the SshayisI {
my. e