NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 23 



tion, the whole circuit round looking like the cinders of a volcano ; 

 and, the soil being quite exhausted, no traces of vegetation are to 

 be found for years. 2 These conflagrations, as they take place 

 usually with a north-east or east wind, much annoy this village 

 with their smoke, and often alarm the country; and, once in 

 particular, I remember that a gentleman, who lives beyond 

 Andover, coming to my house, when he got on the downs 

 between that town and Winchester, at twenty-five miles distance, 

 was surprised much with smoke and a hot smell of fire ; and 

 concluded that Alresford was in flames; but, when he came to 

 that town, he then had apprehensions for the next village, and so 

 on to the end of his journey. 



On two of the most conspicuous eminences of this forest stand 

 two arbours or bowers, made of the boughs of oak ; the one called 

 Waldon Lodge, the other Brimstone Lodge : these the keepers 

 renew annually on the feast of St. Barnabas, taking the old 

 materials for a perquisite. The farm called Blackmoor, in this 

 parish, is obliged to find the posts and brush-wood for the former ; 

 while the farms at Greatham, in rotation, furnish for the latter ; 

 and are all enjoined to cut and deliver the materials at the spot. 

 This custom I mention, because I look upon it to be of very 

 remote antiquity. 



NOTES TO LETTER VII. 



1 Deer will attack serpents by jumping on them with all four feet at once, 

 and I have seen sheep serve obnoxious objects in the same way. 



2 On the Welsh hills these conflagrations continually take place, and are 

 very splendid at night. It is often expedient to burn a patch of gorse or 

 heather for the sake of the sheep ; but when the fire gets beyond control, as it 

 sometimes does, the mischief done is enormous. The conical hill in the Vale 

 of Llangollen, known as Crow Castle, clothed on three sides with fir planta- 

 tions, once caught fire, and from base to summit was a mass of flames, that lit 

 up the country for miles by night, and shaded the valley with its smoke by 

 day. 



