68 SKETCHES OP RURAL AFFAIRS. 



also becomes gentle and submissive, and entirely depen- 

 dent upon man for protection and for food. All do- 

 mesticated sheep belong to one species ; the different 

 breeds, as they are called, being varieties produced by 

 difference of situation, food, and climate. 



In several countries of the East, and especially in 

 Syria, there is a most extraordinary sheep, whose tail 

 forms one-third of the total weight of the animal. This 

 tail is broad and flattish, and entirely composed of a 

 substance between marrow and fat. This substance is 

 used in kitchens, and as an ingredient in various dishes, 

 and the tails of the finest sheep are therefore taken great 

 care o Dr. Russel says, that the animals are mostly 

 kept in yards, so as to be in little danger of hurting 

 their tails as they walk about ; but in the fields, in order 

 to prevent injury from the bushes, the shepherds in 

 several parts of Syria fix a thin piece of board to the 

 under-part of the tail, (which is not, like the rest, 

 covered with wool,) and to this board are added small 

 wheels, " whence, with a little exaggeration, we have 

 the story of the Oriental sheep being under the neces- 

 sity of having carts to carry their tails." 



In most cases, there is more hair than wool on wild 

 sheep, and it is one of the happy effects of domestication, 

 that the wool thickens and the hair disappears. At 

 the Cape of Good Hope, the native sheep are covered 

 with strong frizzled hair, which is of little value, ex- 

 cept for making cushions and mattresses, and is allowed 

 to drop off of itself; but the skins of these sheep, when 

 cleaned and dressed with the hair on, make handsome 

 and comfortable garments, which are generally worn by 

 the middle and lower classes. The rich affect to despise 

 them, because they say they smell of mutton. Some 

 of the choicest lamb-skins thus prepared are as beau- 

 tiful as most furs, and when sent to Europe are often 

 mistaken for the skins of some rare animal. Sheep- 

 skins are also used as garments in other countries, where 

 wool, and not hair, is the covering of the animal. In 



