T RAV

APPEND1X.. ~61~he"11>'taguewhichdesotatedSpain in the middleofthe Jourteenth century, andcarr~ed ofFtwo..thirds of its inhabita.nts;. with the various. other causes of depopulationoperating in tha,t country,prepared the way for the extel1llion of its wool..staple ~1:ne8ta)by leaving the centre of the Peninsula one va:st waste for a sheep-walk.Vicinity qfSego'Via. :Ridge· ofmountains, which divides the two Castilles: Rio,.Frio, a yill~gethere. In these villages and theirneighbourhood the great sIa.eep-ownel/shave their shearing..houses. These buildings .usuaHy inc10se large couds,'of whichsome;areof the dimensions of six. hundred réet by four hUl1dred; with every accom·modation in.theupper.storyforlodgingthe master, his family, and the persons requisitefor theattendan~ on theflockatshearing-time, whichtakes about a month; therestof the year these~laces areleftin.care ofa servant, a.nd otherwise are unoccupieq.In Segovia isa co~npany, as it may be called, of storers (ricibidores), otherwise fa6tors,who being very conversant with the article, usually attend and give their advice andassistanceat the shearings, or in other words direct the whole process.~heaboveme:nti()ned'rieibid/')'res;'Lw.ool"storers ··and clothiers of Segovia, (admissironinto which body isobtainedby four yearsservice of apprenticeship), attend in andac,..cording to t~eirdue stations, in tile nurnber of to shearèrs, to roll andpack the fleeces, separatingtherefromthe COllrSI~;,·,jThe, fleeces when shorn are stored with great nicety, in piles, up to the roof ofthestorehouse.Thus the process of shearing is ,conduded undel' the eye ofthe master, by the factoror wool..storer, the shearers, the ricibidores, to whon} are added a quota of womenpickersto gather upthe 1008e wool; another of basket-'carriers to conect it; 1Jlorc,,!,cros,or boys with vessels of charcoal, to rub the galled sheep; and cc/zavinos,or wineservers1who 'go round with drink for the whole, each being allowed eighteen draughtsa-clay.· 1\f~th~seJ?~fso~~(~?~ ~iXi~~~(in~? sq~àds, under chiefs, to maintain order;,and the whole' furnishes(~iS~lfn~(of,in~nstry;reguf~fity,and festivity.A sheep is.allotted to every' ten, and two pound.sofbread to each' person for theday's diet. They begin to wOl'k ~t six in the morning, anclleave off at five in theevenmg. , .. ,. 'After sheal~ing, the sheep, are so susceptible of the weather, that a year rare1ypasses without the 10ss of ""hale flüçks from the early shearing, which, however, cannotbe clispensooiwith, on account of. the increasing heat of theseason, and loss ofwool ir! the Interim. ~ô obviatethese losses, 'forsome time after shearihg they onlylet them pasture in sight;· and indeed prefer t~eir being altogether without food, even'for s~veral~ays,. thah~neurthe(loss of awh~le flock.Theshearers endeavour to' eut as close as possible. There is much difference oftime occupied in the shearing each sheep. Someshearers will do it well in eight mi...