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Questions, February 1998
Question 1:
In late August 1996, I was driving my car listening to the radio when
I heard on the news that a boat carrying live sheep cargo from
Australia to the middle east had caught fire in the Indian Ocean, and
that the crew had abandoned ship, leaving the sheep to their fate
(the sheep were transported live so that they could be slaughtered
and eaten fresh - not frozen - in accordance with strict religious
dietary laws). The last news I heard on this was that it was going
to take two days for a rescue ship to reach the burning, drifting
ship. The image of burning ship and sheep has stayed with me ever
since, but I never heard any more about it. I asked friends (and
still ask) and no-one seems to have heard that same radio broadcast.
If anyone knows what happened to the sheep, the ship or the crew, or
has any information on this, could you email me with it at
susan.collins@ucl.ac.uk
Question 2:
About a year ago I was driving my car (again) and listening to the
radio, and I heard that some particularly intelligent sheep had
figured out how to cross a cattle grid (the grids in the road that
people have at the end of driveways to stop cattle/sheep etc entering
or exiting land). Apparently one sheep lay on the cattle grid
forming a bridge for the others to cross over so they could reach
greener pastures (the grass IS greener on the other side). Last
night I mentioned this over dinner to a friend, and was told
(hearsay) that apparently within weeks of this news report, it was
happening the length and breadth of the country and that sheep, like
ourselves, evolve, so why should I find this so surprising? I am now
curious to know whether this is also happening/has happened in
Australia, and if so when it started.
If you have any information, could you email me at
susan.collins@ucl.ac.uk
Question 3:
Does anyone know of any English women that were shipped out as brides
for farmers? Did this ever happen? Or did this happen to any of the
women that arrived in Australia as 10 pound poms? Please email any
stories or information to susan.collins@ucl.ac.uk