242 RED DEER. 



the wilderness of Exmoor, so the mental 

 forces of the present era have only super- 

 ficially touched the people. They read the 

 newspaper, and talk the current topics of 

 the day, but their views and ideas remain un- 

 changed. Among the labouring class some 

 considerable polish of language now exists. 

 They converse in good terms, especially the 

 young people, and listening to them, as they 

 reply to your questions, you say to yourself, 

 "This cannot be Zummerzet." 



Not one word of superstition, or ancient 

 tradition, or curious folk-lore, can a stranger 

 extract. The past seems dead, and they are 

 not to be distinguished from the people of 

 other districts close to the populous centres 

 of industry. But the fact is that this silence 

 is not change : it is a reticence purposely 

 adhered to. By mutual consent they stead- 

 fastly refrain from speaking in their own 

 tongue and of their own views to strangers 



