^^ Essay on Sheep, 



" serve their vegetation in a great measure 

 *^ through the winter, and thereby yield a sup- 

 " port to the stock. Along the sea coast arc 

 " also abundant scopes of pasturage, producing 

 *' a short grass in summer, which is peculiarly 

 " grateful to the palate of most animals, and 

 ^' particularly so to sheep. The length of this 

 '^ island is estimated at fourteen miles, which 

 " gives that variety and change of pasture so 

 ** necessary to the system of sheep farming. 

 " Within it are various shrubs and plants, which 

 '^ the animal appears to browse on with great 

 *^ relish, particularly the myrtle bushes, with 

 *' which the island abounds. The access to 

 " s^lt also forms a material feature in the many 

 '' attributes which Smith's Island possesses. 



" The origin of the Smith's Island sheep can- 

 " not be precisely ascertained, but they are 

 " supposed to be the indigenal race of the coun- 

 " try, put thereon about twenty years since, and 

 '' improved by the hand of nature. When wc 

 ^* compare Smith's Island wool with the native 

 ^' wool of the country at large, we are lost in 

 *' astonishment at the wonderful interposition 

 " of providence in our behalf, which serves to 

 ^' show what benefits we enjoy, and how little 

 *' we have estimated the gifts. The Smith's 

 '' Island wool is, without question, one of the 



