THE SURREY PONDS 91 



the sources of the Rother, the Wey, and the Dead- 

 water, the "ponds" are perhaps the most beautiful 

 and interesting features of the loveliest country within 

 an hour of London. A glance at the map will show 

 a hundred of these pools, some among the dry heaths 

 on an impervious ironstone bottom, and often reaching 

 the dimensions of small lakes, like Frensham pond, 

 the Fleet, or Broadwater, near Godalming ; others, 

 perhaps the richest of all in bird and fish life, in such 

 valleys as Chilworth, or the marshy meadows of the 

 lower Wey. But the most picturesque, and perhaps 

 the least known, are the long chains of pools which 

 lie back among the hills. In the rich profusion of 

 soils at the roots of the Hind Head, where hops and 

 heather jostle, and the full-fed oak kisses the starveling 

 pine, the head-waters of rivers gather in these ponds. 

 Like the Spider Mountains of Argos, the hills spread 

 their web where the three counties meet, and between 

 their strands lie the lines of upland pools. Follow 

 any of the hollows in the dry moor downwards, and the 

 signs of subterranean waters are apparent. Oaks min- 

 gle with the pines, and the rabbit-turf grows greener 

 and more compact. Loam takes the place of peat 

 and sand in the banks, and beech and alder spring up 

 in the hollows. Yet even there you may stand within 

 a few minutes' walk of a chain of small lakes stretch- 

 ing for miles into the hill, and not know in which 

 direction to seek them. The sound of falling water, 

 the scent of wood and peat smoke curling up from 

 a cottage chimney into which it seemed easy to drop 



