1 62 Autumn 



circling over their prey ; and peregrine falcons and 

 ravens from Henhole and corbies from Harrow Bog 

 still pursue their daily hunt, indifferent to the traveller. 

 But a great barking of dogs proclaims that 

 Goudscleugh has at last been reached. The ' herds ' 

 are cutting the grass in a little green patch of field 

 for vegetation is behindhand at this altitude but 

 they hasten up at that event in the glen, the advent 

 of a stranger. The tired horses are unyoked, the skeps 

 placed on the stances rented at about half a crown 

 each in an old sheepfold surrounded by a dry-stone 

 dyke, and the hospitable wife is soon regaling her 

 guests with a repast of oatcakes and mountain milk. 

 Meanwhile the bees, having been freed, do not show 

 themselves half as much disturbed as a family newly 

 removed to the seaside. A crowd of them rush out 

 and hum and bustle round the doorway of their 

 thatched house, and it may be assumed that the year's 

 swarms the bee children, so to speak feel a little 

 bewildered ; but, being altogether of a practical turn 

 of mind, they soon join the immense flight of bees a 

 thousand hives have been counted in the same fold 

 which is passing to and fro between their homes and 

 the field of heather. In less than half an hour the 

 workers are to be seen returning to the hives laden 

 with honey. During the next fortnight for the best 

 of the heather harvest will be over after that their 

 assiduous toil will never cease save on account of bad 

 weather. Dewy nights and sunny days are the best. 



