14 
The Farming of Westmorland. 
limited by number or stint, but legally limited to the number 
oi" animals levant and coucliard on the ancient tenement in winter. 
In other words, no farmer should in summer turn on more sheep 
or stock than he can winter on his ancient land and its produce. 
Practically speaking, however, this well-known rule of law is a 
dead letter, and the term " unlimited " is correct enough. Every 
one turns on as many as he can find room for, and sends away 
all he cannot keep alive at home in winter. 
In these apparently peaceful vales, whose inhabitants seem so 
unsophisticated, there remain remnants of the border freebooter's 
spirit, on the principle " he to take who has the power, and he 
to keep who can." Those having most land adjoining or near 
the fell, and living convenient to it, will take more than their 
proper share, so long as human nature remains as it is, and 
always has been, while those further off must be content with 
less or nothing. The keen competition amongst the stock- 
owners and shepherds now and then leads to sheep-hounding, 
worrying, assault and battery, and work for the lawyers. Among 
the old hands, Sunday is often the favourite day for a quiet 
dogging of the neighbours' sheep off the best ground. The sheep 
have wit enough from experience to move off sharply on hearing 
the whistle of the hostile shepherd, without waiting for his dog. 
As a general rule each flock knows and keeps its own " heal," 
or particular part of the common, usually known by pretty well 
defined boundaries, such as a " syke," prominent rock, or a 
watershed ; but this as a mere matter of convenience only, there is 
no exclusive privilege, the whole common is open, and sheep 
can be turned on any part so long as there is no " dogging " or 
driving others. 
The Herdwicks in particular possess a strong natural instinct 
in keeping to the heaf when yeaned, and, have been known to 
return thereto from very long distances, crossing rivers and other 
obstacles, sometimes with the lamb following. 
All the Fell sheep are remarkably hardy, enduring great priva- 
tions. The ewes are generally brought down to lamb in the 
" inland," and are often seen nibbling the best meadows bare in 
a backward May. In keeping up the full stock a number of 
ewes are put to the ram to secure the usual proportion of Fell 
ewes. The surplus ewes are put to Leicester and long-woolled 
rams for " half-bred lambs," which are sold off in autumn. 
Where the ground is suitable this system is very profitable. The 
Fell wether-lambs are kept till three years' old. In one sense 
there is no profit in this, but wethers best maintain their ground 
against encroachers on the heaf, or perhaps encroach themselves, 
keeping others back. The draft ewes are usually sold off in 
October. They should be disposed of Avhen five or six years 
