GENERAL ACCOUNT OP THE SHEEP. 123 



the water waiting for the time when the last flock shall arrive 

 and the stone he rolled from oflf the mouth of the well, the gos- 

 sip of the tribe is discussed, and the young people have ample 

 opportunity for the pleasing business of courtship, 



" Passing his whole life with his flock the shepherd was identified 

 with his sheep far mure than is the case in this country. He 

 knew all his sheep by sight ; he called them all by their names, 

 and they all knew him and recognised his voice. He did not 

 drive them, but he led them, walking in their front, and they 

 followed him. Sometimes he would play with them, pretending 

 to run away while they pursued him, and consequently they 

 looked upon him as their protector as well as their feeder, and 

 were sure to follow wherever he led them.'' (J. G. Wood.) 



The shepherds of these days know their sheep by sight ; but 

 they cannot teach the sheep to recognise their names, though this 

 appears to be still done in Greece. Owing to the continual 

 moving of the sheep, the shepherd had very hard work during 

 the lambing time, and was obliged to carry in his arms the 

 young lambs which were too feeble to accompany their parents, 

 and to keep close to him those sheep which were expected soon 

 to become mothers. At that time of year the shepherd might 

 constantly be seen at the head of his flock, carrying one or two lambs 

 in his arms, accompanied by their mothers. The dogs were not 

 made the companions of man, as they now are among ourselves. 

 Crouching together outside the strongly-built sheep-fold, in little 

 knots of six or seven together, they detected the approach of wild 

 animals, and at the first sign of the wolf or the jackal barked 

 out a defiance, and scared away the invaders. 



To the pastoral inhabitants of Palestine the sheep was, and 

 indeed still is, one of the chief sources of food, just as the ox 

 is to the pastoral inhabitants of South Africa. To ordinary 

 persons, however, it was a luxury seldom tasted, being used, for 

 instance, at marriage feasts or to welcome the advent of a guest 

 for whom a young male lamb or kid was slain and cooked. 

 Boiling was the method of cooking generally adopted. As all 

 know who have tasted it, the milk of the ewe is very rich, and in 

 the East it is valued far more highly than is that of the cow. It 

 was, however, seldom drunk in the fresh state, but after it had 

 become sour, curdled, and semi-solid. At the present day this 

 custom still exists, the curdled milk being known under the 



