268 Four-in-Hand in Britain. 



Douglas, July 20. 

 Edinburgh, Scotia's darling scat, only forty-four miles 

 distant. All aboard, this pretty morning, for Edin- 

 burgh ! " Right, Perry !" and off we went quite early 

 through Douglas, for the capital. Our path was 

 through woods for several miles, and we listened to 

 the birds and saw and heard many of the incidents of 

 morn so prettily described by Beattie : 



" The wild brook babbling down the mountain-side. 

 The lowing herd ; the sheep-fold's simple bell ; 

 The hum of bees, and linnet's lay of love, 

 And the full choir that wakes the universal grove." 



It was to be a long day's drive, but an easy one ; 

 only one hill, and then a gradual descent all the way 

 to Edinburgh. So it might have been by the other 

 road, but the mile-stones which told us so many miles 

 to Edinburgh should also have said : *' Take the new 

 road ; this is the old one, over the hills and far away." 

 But they did not, and we could not be wrong, for 

 this was a way, if not the way, to "Auld Reekie." 

 After all, it was one of the richest of our experiences 

 as we look back upon it now. So many hills to walk 

 up and so many to walk down ; so many moors with 

 not a house to be seen, nothing but sheep around us 

 and the lights and shadows of a Scotch sky overhead. 

 But it was grand, and recalled some of Black's wonder- 

 ful pen pictures. And then we enjoyed the heather 

 which we found in its beauty, though scarcely yet 



