1 88 FRANCIS ORPEN MORRIS 



tion or midnight monster or unearthly thing it was, 

 and how, or by what strange means, it had come 

 there. What was to be done ? or what could I do ? 

 I was totally unarmed not so much as a sixpenny 

 blade upon me. Tis quite true I possessed a good 

 piece, but what of that ? It was, and unluckily too, 

 nearly two miles off, and could not, therefore, be 

 called to my aid." 



At one time Edward thought of taking to flight, 

 but his courage got the mastery of his weaker 

 feelings, and he determined to stand it out, come 

 what might. Accordingly, in order the better to 

 prepare for action and see what the beast really 

 was, he says : 



" I would now and again take another sly peep 

 at him, to reconnoitre, as it were, to see if anything 

 like horns or a cloven foot stood in the way ; when 

 lo and behold! instead of one, I beheld beheld 

 what ? why, no fewer than three three large and 

 full Badgers and not devils, each a short distance 

 behind the other, and the foremost only about 

 sixteen yards from where I stood." 



The rest is soon told. Edward, who wished to 

 capture one, if not all three, of the Badgers, gave 

 chase, for on seeing him they instantly turned and 

 made off at the best speed they could, two of them 

 quickly disappearing down a steep declivity. The 

 third animal Edward came up with, and in a sudden 

 frantic endeavour to administer a stunning blow 

 with his foot, he himself fell down with terrific force 

 upon the hard path below, receiving thereby a 



