Welsh Cattle 
Standing on the form, where they might look out 
at herd after herd of cattle. 
John Smith said he used to like to listen to the 
Welsh drovers. He knew when they were 
coming, to what fair (for Blackwater was merely 
the greatest, not the only one), and “ purty 
near how many droves they were bringing.” 
They came, never touching the turnpike roads. 
“They'd lose a day goin’ round, sooner ’n they’d 
pass a‘ gate.’”” So, right away from the west of 
England, they worked their way up, keeping 
along on the commons, towards London. Then, 
nearing London, they diverged southwards to 
the sea. 
Details to fill up some of these outlines were 
obtained from time to time. ‘The droves num- 
bered up to a hundred and fifty each, and at certain 
seasons their passing through the neighbourhood 
was continuous. November and December were 
their months, the November passing, for Black- 
water, lasting about four days. To Farnham 
Fair, never much of a cattle fair indeed, not 
many of the Welsh came. If other drovers found 
one of their number going there they were careful 
to stay away for fear of spoiling his market. At 
Blackwater, on the contrary, they congregated 
freely. All along the route the cattle were sold 
out gradually, but the chief market for them was 
at the coast. Should a drover, however, get rid 
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