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CHAPTER VIII.

FROM 1788 TO 1803.

Sheep-Their Management-Wool-Bourgoing's Modern State of Spain-The Management of Sheep in Spain-The Woollen Manufactures of Spain-Swinburne's Travels in the Two Sicilies-Bright's Travels in Lower Hungary— Jacob's Travels in Germany and Holland-Moegelin Flocks-Flocks of George III.-Samples of the Wool sent by Sir Joseph Banks to Mr. Maitland-Report thereon-Distribution of Merino Sheep from the Royal Flock-Public Sale of Sheep-Facts and Observations on fine Woolled Sheep, by Dr. Parry-Lord Somerville on Sheep and Wool-Introduction and Progress of fine woolled Sheep in New South Wales, by John Mac Arthur-Number of Sheep in New South Wales.

"MODERN STATE OF SPAIN, by J. F. BOURGOING, late "Minister from France to the Court of Madrid. 1807."

In the sixteenth century the number of wandering sheep in Spain exceeded seven millions. Under Philip III., their number fell to two millions and a half. Ustarez, who lived at the beginning of the last century, computes them at four millions. The general opinion at present is, that they do not exceed five millions. If we add to these, eight millions of these animals always stationary, we shall have an aggregate of thirteen millions of sheep.

EXPORTATION IN 1792.

16,176 Bags, 200 to 250 lbs. each. 6,180 Ditto.

From Bilboa to England,

Ditto,

Holland,

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Wool exported from Bilboa and St. Andero,
Wool exported from Seville,

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Total, 36,109 bags.

"Two of the greatest ministers in Spain during the present century, Campillo, under Philip V., and La Ensenada, under Ferdinand VI., considered the immense exportation of their wool as one of the greatest obstacles to the progress of industry, because the nations whowere the original purchasers, sent it back manufactured, and resold it at an exorbitant advance in price, and because the wools of a coarser quality, which remained in Spain, were manufactured there at a great expense.

"For a long period, all the common wool has been worked up into cloth for uniforms for the troops, and the dress of the lower orders of the people, and the exportation of it is prohibited the greatest part of the sheep which produce it are black, consequently the cloth is of that colour; hence the great quantity of brown mantles is accounted for.

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"There is also wool of a second quality, like that of Valencia, the exportation of which is not prohibited. This is for the most part made into cloth, in the province which produces it. As to the finer wools, they are employed in several provinces in Spain, and particularly in the manufactory of Guadalaxara. Cardinal Alberoni, in the year 1718, laid the foundation of this establishment. In the time of Charles III., the manufactory of St. Fernando was removed to Guadalaxara, where nothing but superfine cloth has been made. Since that period various manufactories of fine cloth have been established at Guadalaxara. In 1783 this was, perhaps, the most complete establishment of the kind in Europe within its walls was every requisite for the manufacture of cloths, while the tools and implements used in the works were all made upon the spot.

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There were 24 looms for cloth of the first quality, called
St. Fernando cloth.

100 looms, second cloth.

506 looms, serges.

These looms were contained in two buildings, and gave employment to 3825 persons, all paid by the king. To these may be added a far greater number, scattered throughout La Mancha and Castile, who are occupied in spinning wool for Guadalaxara.

"Charles IV., who visited Guadalaxara in 1791, found 306 looms for fine cloth.

350 looms for serges.

They employed 24,000 persons, and manufactured to the annual amount of thirteen to fourteen million rials, or about £230,000. Cloths of most beautiful colour, but inferior in point of quality, are sold for eighty-four rials per yard, and the finest St. Fernando at ninety-four, that of Brihuega at seventy-four, and serges at thirteen.

"In 1796 the manufactories of Guadalaxara, and those of Brihuega, situate about four leagues distant, possessing 400 looms for fine cloth, were in a flourishing condition: they sold in Madrid 9,000 to 10,000 pieces per month.

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Segovia, in the golden age of that city,

Had 600 looms.

In 1697 250 looms.

In 1748 365 looms.

which employed 4300 persons, and consumed more than 50,000 arobas of unwashed wool.

tured 4000 pieces.

In 1785 they manufac

"The duties on exportation of wool in Spain produced in 1771 twenty millions of rials, and in 1789 twenty-eight millions of rials. Let us fix the exportation of wool

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And supposing each bale to weigh only 200lbs., the amount will be 6,900,000lbs., at ten rials per lb,, and this gives an aggregate of 69,000,000 rials, equal to £621,000 sterling. In this calculation everything is taken at the lowest rate, particularly the price of the wool; for in 1792 the superfine Leonesa was at 1886, and the common wool at 1150 rials per quintal; consequently more than eighteen rials per lb. for the first sort, and upwards of eleven rials for the latter: there is no exaggeration, therefore, in estimating at eighty millions of rials, the sum Spain gains every year by the sale of wool." "ON THE SHEEP OF SPAIN.-Before leaving Segovia, I am anxious to conclude my observations respecting the sheep

of Spain. In the mountains adjoining the city, a great part of the wandering flocks pasture during the summer season. They are seen descending in the month of October, along with the flocks of the ancient Numantia (Soria), quitting those which separate the two Castiles, and after passing through New Castile, dispersing themselves in the plains of Estremadura and Andalusia. Those which are nearer the Sierra Morena, pass the winter there; the length of their journeys is proportioned to the kind of pasture they obtain. They travel in flocks of 1000 or 1200, under the guidance of two shepherds; the chief shepherd is called the mayoral, the other the zagal. When arrived at their destinations, they are distributed among the various pasturages assigned to them. They proceed on their route again in May, and whether from custom or instinct, they travel onward to the climate best adapted for them at that season. The uneasiness they seem to feel indicates to their guides any necessity for change of situation.

"Each flock, called a Cavaña, belongs to one master, and the whole produce of the wool of these flocks is called pila. The Cavañas bear the names of their proprietors. The most numerous are those of Bejar and Nigretti, each of which consists of 60,000 sheep. That of the Escurial, the most famous, has 50,000. Prejudice or custom makes the wool of certain Cavañas more sought after than others. At Guadalaxara, for instance, they employ no wool but that of Nigretti, the Escurial, and the Chartreuse of Paular. Besides the above there are the Cavañas of the Marquis d'Iranda, of the Marquis of Pentes, of Manuel de Balbuena, and of Count San Rafael. Of all these various Cavañas, those of Paular are supposed to yield the finest wool in all Spain, and the Nigretti sheep are remarkable for strength, and the quantity of their wool."

"SHEARING THE SHEEP. Upon the return of the wandering sheep, towards the month of May, the shearing is commenced an operation of great magnitude in Spain, because performed on a large scale, in vast buildings called Esquileos, arranged so as to receive whole flocks of 40 to 50, and even 60,000 sheep. The harvest and vintage have nothing so solemn in their celebration: it is a time of festivity for the proprietors, as well as for the workmen. The latter

are divided into certain classes, and to each a different branch of the operation is allotted. 125 persons are found requisite to shear 1000 sheep. Every animal yields wool of three kinds, finer or coarser, according to the part of the body from which it is taken.

"When the shearing is finished, the produce is collected in bales, and carried either to the sea-port towns for exportation, without any other operation, or to certain places denominated washing stations, in the environs of Segovia, and throughout the rest of Castile. In general about 10,000 quintals of wool are washed in the single station of Ortijosa, three leagues from St. Ildefonso, which forms a kind of vast basin, the inner margins of which are gently sloping meadows, exposed to the sun in every direction.

"The wool is brought here in the state in which it is taken from the sheep, being in clotted tufts or flocks. In this form they give it to the apartadores, who divide it into three portions, of different qualities; and so accustomed are they to this business, that at the first glance they know to what part of the animal the flock of wool belongs which first presents itself. The three qualities of the wool being thus separated, they are spread upon wooden hurdles; they are then scattered abroad and beaten, in order to clear them from the dust and filth which adhere to them, and are afterwards carried to the washing places.

"From two large stopcocks, fitted into an immense cauldron, boiling water falls into three square pits, three or four feet deep; three men are then employed to stir the wool in every direction; each kind of wool is washed separately, and requires water more or less hot, according to the fineness of its quality. When this operation is finished, the wool is again spread out upon hurdles, for the purpose of extracting the filthy parts, which the water has begun to dissolve; those which are clotted with dirt, and unfit for use, are detached with the hand and laid aside, and the produce converted into a fund for the benefit of departed souls; for in Spain, religion is introduced into all the minutiae of social life.

"The hurdles are afterwards placed between the wells and a narrow aqueduct through which a current of cold water flows. A man at the head of this water-course receives the wool, and throws it in; it is then taken by five men ranged one by one

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