bleating and caressing over this one, than she did formerly over the one
that was really her own. But this is not what I wanted to explain; it
was, that such sheep as thus lose their lambs must be driven to a house
with dogs, so that the lamb may be put to them; for they will only take
it in a dark confined place. But at Willenslee, I never needed to drive
home a sheep by force, with dogs, or in any other way than the
following: I found every ewe, of course, standing hanging her head over
her dead lamb; and having a piece of twine with me for the purpose, I
tied that to the lamb's neck or foot, and trailing it along, the ewe
followed me into any house or fold that I choose to lead her. Any of
them would have followed me in that way for miles, with her nose close
on the lamb, which she never quitted for a moment, except to chase my
dog, which she would not suffer to walk near me. I often, out of
curiosity, led them in to the side of the kitchen fire by this means,
into the midst of servants and dogs; but the more that dangers
multiplied around the ewe, she clung the closer to her dead offspring,
and thought of nothing whatever but protecting it. One of the two years,
while I remained on this farm, a severe blast of snow came on by night,
about the latter end of April, which destroyed several scores of our
lambs; and as we had not enow of twins and odd lambs for the mothers
that had lost theirs, of course we selected the best ewes, and put lambs
to them. As we were making the distribution, I requested of my master
to spare me a lamb for a hawked ewe which he knew, and which was
standing over a dead lamb in the head of the Hope, about four miles from
the house. He would not do it, but bid me let her stand over her lamb
for a day or two, and perhaps a twin would be forthcoming. I did so, and
faithfully she did stand to her charge; so faithfully, that I think the
like never was equalled by any of the woolly race. I visited her every
morning and evening, and for the first eight days never found her above
two or three yards from the lamb; and always, as I went my rounds, she