WILD EXMOOR. 29 



rises here, and by it there are a few short 

 firs and bushes, quite out of sight from the 

 level of the moor ; for there are trees in the 

 hollows, but the glance of necessity passes 

 high over them. Beyond the spring is a 

 wall ; neither deer nor ponies heed it in the 

 least, and even the sheep can climb most of 

 the walls. Within the wall I enter on the 

 heather, rising nearly to the knee, and 

 tiring to walk through, unless you follow 

 paths or select places less thickly covered. 



The tips of the heather are fresh and green, 

 but the stems are dry and arid-looking; they 

 are wiry, hard, and unyielding. Another 

 distance, I do not know how far, of dry dark 

 heather continually fraying against my knees, 

 is traversed, when in front appears a coombe, 

 overgrown with heather from summit to 

 foot, and I stop suddenly. On the opposite 

 slope are five hinds lying down, their heads 

 visible above the heather, but too far for 

 a good view. To stalk them it is necessary 

 to go round the head, or shallow upper end 



