208 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



Merino sheep bound to Philadelphia, in distress, owned by Thomas Ketland. Novem- 

 ber 24, while lying in the Gulph, shipped a sea which swept her waistboards, staii- 

 cheons, both bouts, and cleared her decks. 



Whether slic reached Philadelphia from New York with the 7 sheep 

 we do not know. 



The next cargo of sheep arriving at Philadelphia was in the Cum- 

 berland, from Lisbon. She arrived January 1, 1811, with 120 sheep con- 

 signed to T. B. Freeman, and on the 3d they were offered at private 

 sale, accompanied by documents showing that they were from the royal 

 flock, from the prior of the royal monastery of Guadaloupe. But few 

 were disposed of at private sale, and on the 23d Freeman & Passmore 

 announced that 60 would be put up at auction on the 29th. 



On the 13th of April Freeman & Passmore offered for sale 170 full- 

 blooded Merinos, just landed from the Thomas Ketland, then to be seen 

 on the Jersey shore, at Bispham's Ferry. They were sold at auction on 

 the 20th. They were from Cadiz. A consort of the Thomas Ketland was 

 not so fortunate as to land her cargo. The Amiable, owned by Thomas 

 Ketland, after landing a cargo of flour and meat at Cadiz, took on board 

 as part of her return cargo 200 Merino sheep. She sailed from Cadiz 

 for Philadelphia, was overtaken by a storm, lost her 200 sheep, put in 

 at St. Bartholomew in distress, whence she made her way to Philadel- 

 phia, arriving April 5. 



On April 11 Joseph S. Lewis & Co. and Benjamin B Howell & Co. 

 offered for sale the cargo of the ship Branrin, Capt. Singleton, from 

 Ayainonte, consisting of 500 Merino sheep, selected by a competent judge 

 from the best flocks of Spain. Only 4 were lost by death on the pas- 

 sage, which fact was adduced as proof of their condition; whereas in 

 many cases one-half and three fourths had died on the passage. The 

 flock was on the farm of Samuel L. Howell, near Cooper's Ferry, New 

 Jersey, and as sales were slow it was brought up to Philadelphia, and 

 on May 11 put up at public sale, without reserve, on very liberal terms 

 as to time of payment. No record of the purchasers of these sheep or 

 the prices paid for them is preserved; the papers of the day abounded 

 in political discussions, heavy explanations of public and semi-public 

 men, and column after column of European news, but very little of 

 domestic interest of any kind, and they ended their interest in Merino 

 sheep when the advertisement was inserted and paid for. We learn, 

 however, from these same advertising columns that hay in bales, suita- 

 ble for Merino sheep, was on the market; that persons of experience in 

 sheep shearing offered to shear the Merinos on reasonable terms, and 

 that the domestic, wool from the Merino was offered to manufacturers, 

 also 10,000 pounds of Merino wool from Lisbon, brought over with sheep, 

 salt, corks, and wine. One glimpse, however, we get in a letter from a 

 farmer to the Luzerrie Agricultural Society: 



These animals, though so little known in Pennsylvania, have maintained a price 

 far beyond what was expected by their most sanguine advocates, insomuch that it 

 is evident a desire to possess them has even preceded a knowledge of their value. 



