THE CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST. 157 



liked to have the vehicle pushed behind him whenever 

 he came to an ascent ; but that those who were used to 

 him knew what to expect, and did not object to these 

 trifling eccentricities. As, therefore, the road consisted, 

 on an average, of six miles of hills and two of level 

 ground, it may be imagined that mental excitement 

 was combined with physical exertion in a degree rarely 

 witnessed. However, we had started with the intention 

 of taking everything as it came, and therefore held up 

 Rufus carefully as he went down hill, and pushed behind 

 when he went up hill, until we arrived at our intended 

 domicile ; the vehicle having been very useful in holding 

 our baggage, but as far as ourselves were concerned, 

 rather an honourable appendage than a personal convey- 

 ance. 



Evening had set in long before, and the glowworms 

 had started one by one into their full beauty, as they 

 lined the forest pathways like mundane stars shining in 

 imitative rivalry of the glittering points in the dark 

 dome above. One of them we placed on the splash- 

 board by way of a lantern, and on oiu: safe arrival laid 

 it carefully among some herbage just outside the door, 

 a position which it held for three days and nights. 



Such a lovely spot is the New Forest ; the soil so 

 various, the trees so magnificent, the flowers so perfumed 

 and luxuriant, and the birds so plentiful and musical. 

 May the Enclosmre Act, that has turned many a mile of 

 grand forest into base turnip land, never lay its wither- 

 ing grasp on the New Forest ! and far be from our eyes 



m2 



