THE GOAT. 171 



sight is remarkable and interesting. Inanimate nature 

 has often its peculiar charms, but these are increased by 

 evidences of life j and the romantic and sublime scenes of 

 Switzerland may be gazed on with greater pleasure, 

 when troops of goats are passing towards the mountains, 

 where they love to graze, or returning with the closing 

 day from their usual pasturage. 



In another part of Europe they render a singular 

 service. In the spring of the year the sheep are driven 

 in troops of from 10,000 to 40,000 from the plains of 

 Aries, and the Delta of the Rhone, towards the Alps, 

 which divide Provence and Dauphine from Italy. To 

 every thousand of these sheep there are three shepherds, 

 each of whom has his dog : a troop of asses carries the 

 provisions and baggage in the centre of the flock. One 

 shepherd is chosen by the rest to direct the march, and 

 to bear a common purse, from which its expenses are 

 to be defrayed. He travels in the centre, issues the 

 daily allowance of food, decides on the complaints of 

 any farmers on the road, if damage has been acci- 

 dentally or wilfully done, and punishes the shepherds if 

 convicted of offence. 



The leaders of the sheep are goats, wearing bells 

 round their necks, and trained for their service. The 

 intelligence they display, and the discipline in which 



