WILD EXMOOR. 27 



high ; the moor undulated on, and it was 

 twenty miles to the ridge and twenty to the 

 cloud, and there was nothing between me 

 and the cloud and the hill. A noise of thunder 

 came, weary and travelling with difficulty. 

 I glanced round ; I could not see any cloud 

 of thunderous character. How far could it 

 have come? In enclosed countries thunder 

 is not heard more than ten miles, but at this 

 height — this seemingly level moor is twelve 

 hundred feet above the sea — it may come 

 how far ? 



Across from the Welsh mountains, over 

 the Bristol Channel, up from the Devon- 

 shire tors, whence it is impossible to tell. I 

 think the low boom reached me up the 

 wind, but gazing under my hand for shade 

 from the glare of the sun I cannot see any 

 threatening vapour. There is only space, 

 and sound perhaps may travel almost to 

 infinity in space. The wind is cool, the sun 

 fiery hot, the dry thin grass rustles underfoot, 

 and the dead furze stems, bleached by the 



