54 HISTORY OF SHEET. 



PERSIAN SHEEP. 



In Persia the fat-tailed sheep predominate greatly over 

 the fat-rumped ; and although the chief sources of wealth to a 

 large class, no efforts are bestowed upon their improvement. 

 The shepherds still follow the wandering life of their ances- 

 tors. In Eraser's account of Persia, they are thus described : 



" When the pastures are bare, they shift to some other 

 spot. The march of one of these parties is a striking specta- 

 cle. The main body is generally preceded hy an advanced 

 guard of stout young men, well armed, as if to clear the 

 way ; then follow large flocks of all kinds of domestic ani- 

 mals, covering the country far and wide, and driven by the 

 lads of the community. The a^ses, which are numerous, 

 and the rough, stout yahoos (small horses), are loaded with 

 goods, tents, clothes, pots and boilers, and every sort of 

 utensil, bound confusedly together. On the top of some of 

 the burdens may be seen mounted the elder children, who 

 act the part of drivers, and the lesser urchins holding on 

 manfully with feet and hands. A third class of animals 

 bear the superannuated of the tribe, bent double with age, 

 and hardly distinguishable from the mass of rags that forms 

 their seats. ' The young men and women bustle about, pre- 

 venting, with the assistance of their huge dogs, the cattle 

 from straying too far. The mothers, carrying the younger 

 infants, patiently trudge on foot, watching the progress of 

 their domestic equipage. The men, with sober, thoughtful 

 demeanor, armed to the teeth, walk steadily on the flanks 

 and rear of the grotesque column, guarding and controlling 

 its slow and regular movement." 



Much wool is grown in those districts of Persia, where 

 the majority of the inhabitants lead a pastoral life ; the most 

 valuable is found in the province of Kerman. This is a very 

 mountainous country, hot and dry in summer, and intensely 

 cold in winter. The wool of the sheep is fine i^quality, 

 and that which grows at the roots of the hair of the goat is 

 nearly as fine. The latter is manufactured into various 

 fabrics, which almost equal the beautiful shawls of Cash- 

 mere. The fine felt carpets, for which Persia is so cele- 

 brated, are manufactured from the wool of the sheep, either 

 in Kerman or Koprasan. Although these districts are re- 

 motely situated from each other, the wool of the sheep near- 

 ly corresponds, and " is remarkable for being spirally-curled, 



