I20 COURSING THE HARE 



After travelling a couple of miles we left the main 

 road for a country lane, and had an ascent of three 

 miles, which brought us up to a height of i,ooo feet 

 above sea level. This long hill we always walked up, 

 and as a blood circulator it was most useful, no one 

 ever feeling cold after he had struggled up to the top. 

 About this period it began to get light, and as we 

 gradually descended to the river, four miles below the 

 hill, our spirits rose, if only at the magnificent prospect 

 of country that lay before us. I will not particularise 

 the locality, but I may say that the view I refer to is 

 one of the finest in the kingdom. Miles upon miles 

 of rolling hills, cultivated land in front, moors beyond, 

 and the border mountains plainly visible on the 

 horizon, though forty miles away. A magnificent 

 stream, winding its way through rocks and woods, lay 

 at our feet, and the only drawback which presented 

 itself was that we had to ascend again, almost as high, 

 when the stream was crossed. I may also say that 

 this particular district is extremely free from mist and 

 fog. I cannot recall a single coursing morning — and 

 I must have been present on ten or a dozen of these 

 days — when one was disappointed of the view. As 

 we got lower down the country became more tame, 

 but was singularly beautiful nevertheless ; even in mid- 

 winter it had a wonderful greenness, caused by the 



