46 GRAYLING FISHING- UNDER DIFFICULTIES 



of cavalry on the hard road, banished sleep, and 

 made night hideous for one who desired nothing 

 so much as a little peaceful rest. Following these 

 warriors and their equipments, as night was slowly 

 banished by the rising sun, came a long, never- 

 ending procession of country carts, broad-wheeled 

 farm wagons, market carts, donkey carts, and all 

 sorts of traps filled with men, women, and children, 

 which must have emptied every village and hamlet 

 for miles and miles away, and most of these 

 vehicles, in their turn, blocked the way by stopping 

 at the pub. next door to us, which seemed to have 

 had a special licence to supply thirsty travellers 

 all through the night. These were all on their 

 way to Boscombe Down. They started early to 

 secure good places to see the grand review and the 

 march past, which was to be at eleven o'clock. 



Mine host had fortunately secured a one-horse 

 chaise long before the eventful day, so we were 

 safe. A young gentleman and his wife, who had 

 come all the way from Southampton, were not so 

 lucky. We had pity on them ; we found room 

 for them in our wagonette, and they proved very 

 pleasant companions. We crawled along in the 

 long procession up the narrow lane which leads to 

 Beacon Hill till we reached the open down, and 

 then we hurried along over the soft turf to secure 

 a place as near the flagstaff as possible. Our 

 young friends enjoyed, we all enjoyed, the bountiful 

 repast provided by my thoughtful host. We saw 

 the march past, which has already been described 



