DOVE DALE REVISITED 121 



me plying my avocation at the feet of the 

 "Twelve Apostles." These grand, lichen- 

 mantled, steeple-like rocks stand as guardians 

 at the entrance of the Dale, browbeaten, as it 

 were, by an enormous projecting rock on the 

 opposite side of the river, from the top of 

 which a despairing lover (or perhaps a de- 

 spairing pair of them) is said to have leaped 

 and buried his or their sorrows in the waters 

 below hence the rock is called the Lover's 

 Leap. Daisy soon disappeared, scrambling up 

 the rocky sides like a young gazelle, up and up 

 amongst the hazel bushes, where, as she well 

 knew, nuts were plentifully hidden up behind 

 the inaccessible rocks. 



No sooner had she disappeared than I, 

 making a long cast over a rising fish, hung my 

 fly on the topmost branch of a young hawthorn 

 bush away up among the rocks. I sent Jack 

 up to get the fly, -and so I was left alone with 

 the baby. He was sitting sturdily on the 

 donkey, holding the reins tight, and presently 

 he managed to pull his head round towards 

 home while I was adjusting my fly. I did not 

 see the start, but Bobby was shouting " Dee-up, 

 donkey ! " and working his little legs on the 



