CAMARGUE, COWBOY COUNTRY OF SOUTHERN FRANCE 



13 



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THE HARD-BLOWING MISTRAL IS TH^ DRYER IN CAMARGUE'S OPEN-AIR LAUNDRIES 



puncher, but also to the vaquero of Spain, 

 to the gaucho of South American pampas, 

 and to the rough riders of Australian 

 stations or the South African veldt. He 

 is, however, a special type, having more 

 to do than protect cattle or horses. More 

 than all else, the gardian is preserving 

 the old traditions of the Camargue peas- 

 ant, his customs, his melodious Provenqal 

 language, and something of his old-fash- 

 ioned dress. 



The gardian still wears a bright-colored 

 shirt and a black coat lined with velvet. 

 His trousers are of brown cloth, resem- 

 bling leather, and are supported by a 

 taiolo, a kind of large woolen belt several 

 yards long. 



In winter the gardian uses wooden 

 sabots even when riding. Sometimes, as 

 a protection against the cold wind and 

 rain, he wears over his trousers high 

 leggings made of calfskin and strapped to 

 his belt. These leggings are similar to 

 the American cow-puncher's "chaps/' 

 He also wears a wide-brimmed felt hat 

 like the sombrero of the Western cowboy. 



EVERY FAMILY HAS ITS APPRENTICE 

 HERDSMAN 



In nearly every family of herdsmen 

 may be found an apprentice, or gardia- 



noun, chiefly distinguished by a passion 

 for fighting cattle and a love of rough, 

 open-air life. 



Practicing with his father, uncles, or 

 brothers, the boy soon becomes proficient 

 in the cattle business. He must learn 

 how to plait horsehair to make the seden 

 or Camargue rope, and how to brand and 

 wean the calves. 



He must also learn to handle the long 

 horseherd's staff and the gardian's iron 

 trident, and follow the tracks of lost cat- 

 tle over the wild salt moor. 



To be a good herdsman he must know 

 the different grass lands where the bulls 

 and horses can graze and where to locate 

 good holes at which to water them. Above 

 all, the gardian must be a tireless horse- 

 man and rough rider, able to break the 

 most unruly broncho to his will. 



In winter the herdsmen live in the 

 malarial marsh. When the great heat of 

 summer hangs over the sun-burnt, dusty 

 prairies they are ceaselessly tormented by 

 swarms of mosquitoes, horseflies, and 

 gnats. 



Sober and inured to every hardship, 

 they are patient and reserved, because of 

 their solitary life among the cattle. That 

 is why, at the religious festivals to which 

 they drive their fighting bulls, they give 



