SHEEP-WASHING. 



79 



still higher than the second. The first takes the strug- 

 gling sheep, and holds it under water, except the head, 

 waving it to and fro, and taking care that the wool shall 

 be well soaked. The fleece is generally in such a dirty 

 state that the water round this man soon becomes muddy, 

 but clears itself again. The sheep is then handed to 

 the middle man, who repeats the process in his purer 

 part of the stream. At last it is given over to the third 

 man, who is, perhaps, the shepherd, and who well rubs 

 the fleece, and feels if the skin is clean. He gives it 

 a last dip, and allows it to go ashore on the grassy bank, 

 where, at first, it is scarcely able to stand under the 

 weight of the wet wool ; but soon relieves itself by 

 shaking out a shower of moisture. It is the duty of 

 the helpers to supply the washers regularly with sheep, 

 so that no time may be lost. 



The shepherd's crook is not so universal as formerly, 

 but it is a useful implement in catching sheep. It con- 

 sists of a round rod of iron, bent in the form represented 

 in the vignette at the head of this chapter, and furnished 

 at one end with a knob, that the animal may not be 

 injured by a sharp point, and at the other end with a 

 socket, into which a shaft of wood, five or six feet 

 long, is fitted. The hind leg of the sheep is caught 

 by the hook, and, slipping along the narrow part, is 

 held by the loop at the end. Some caution is re- 

 quired in using this implement, for the sheep occa- 

 sionally starts away with such violence, immediately on 

 feeling the crook, as to risk laming, or otherwise in- 

 juring itself. On first embracing the leg, the crook 

 should be drawn quickly towards the shepherd, so as to 

 bring the bend of the loop against the leg, as high up 

 as the hock, before the sheep has time to break off. 

 The animal can then be easily secured by hand. 



From the time of washing to that of shearing it is 

 necessary to keep the sheep in a dry clean place, that 

 their fleeces may not become soiled. Sufficient time 

 must be allowed for the fleece to get in good condition 



