ON THE ITHON 33 



Nelson column in Trafalgar Square, as I have 

 seen the steeplejacks doing. 



Now, instead of being at the pleasant river- 

 side, as those innocent people at the hotel, in- 

 cluding the landlord, supposed me to be all the 

 time, here was I hundreds of feet above it, and 

 happily on a better path which must lead me 

 somewhere. On the top of this ridge I pursued 

 my way under the grateful shade of the wood 

 which shut me out so completely from the river; 

 and up here it was that, hungry and athirst, foot- 

 sore and weary, I sat me down in the shade to 

 partake of the precious packet of sandwiches 

 which I had asked my landlady to cut for me; 

 she had deputed the work to a waiter. I cannot, 

 I will not, bless that waiter, nor will I do the 

 other thing for him; but I cannot, I will not, 

 ever forget or, soon forgive him. I was all but 

 starving, and yet those sandwiches were so coarse, 

 so vile, so utterly uneatable, that I was con- 

 strained to scatter them to the birds of the air 

 and the beasts of the woods, if peradventure some 

 may be found that could devour them. 



I pursued my way along the ridge for a mile 

 or two through meadows on the hills yet un- 

 mown. At length I came to a point where I was 

 able to dive down to a meadow adjoining the 

 river. 



Now, our genial landlord, though he possesses 

 so many miles of the river, has, it appears, no 

 D 



