In the Sierra 



>lies and bedding. Most of them are heartily 

 :ontent to " rough it," ignoring Nature's 

 ineness as bothersome or unmanly. The 

 shepherd's bed is often only the bare ground 

 ind a pair of blankets, with a stone, a piece 

 >f wood, or a pack-saddle for a pillow. In 

 :hoosing the spot, he shows less care than 

 :he dogs, for they usually deliberate before 

 taking up their minds in so important an 

 iffair, going from place to place, scraping 

 iway loose sticks and pebbles, and trying 

 for comfort by making many changes, 

 r hile the shepherd casts himself down any- 

 where, seemingly the least skilled of all 

 rest seekers. His food, too, even when he 

 has all he wants, is usually far from delicate, 

 either in kind or cooking. Beans, bread of 

 iny sort, bacon, mutton, dried peaches, and 

 imetimes potatoes and onions, make up 

 his bill-of-fare, the two latter articles being 

 regarded as luxuries on account of their 

 weight as compared with the nourishment 

 they contain; a half-sack or so of each 

 [ 107 ] 



