Page:The Hare.djvu/146

120 After travelling a couple of miles we left the main road for a country lane, and had an ascent of three miles, which brought us up to a height of 1,000 feet above sea level. This long hill we always walked up, and as a blood circulator it was most useful, no one ever feeling cold after he had struggled up to the top. About this period it began to get light, and as we gradually descended to the river, four miles below the hill, our spirits rose, if only at the magnificent prospect of country that lay before us. I will not particularise the locality, but I may say that the view I refer to is one of the finest in the kingdom. Miles upon miles of rolling hills, cultivated land in front, moors beyond, and the border mountains plainly visible on the horizon, though forty miles away. A magnificent stream, winding its way through rocks and woods, lay at our feet, and the only drawback which presented itself was that we had to ascend again, almost as high, when the stream was crossed. I may also say that this particular district is extremely free from mist and fog. I cannot recall a single coursing morning—and I must have been present on ten or a dozen of these days—when one was disappointed of the view. As we got lower down the country became more tame, but was singularly beautiful nevertheless; even in midwinter it had a wonderful greenness, caused by the