London to John (J Groat's. 63 



CHAPTER V. 



A FOOTPATH WALK AND ITS INCIDENTS HARVEST ASPECTS ENGLISH 



AND AMERICAN SKIES HUMBLER OBJECTS OF CONTEMPLATION 



THE DONKEY: ITS USES AND ABUSES. 



IMMEDIATELY after breakfast the following morn- 

 ing, my kind host accompanied me for a mile on 

 my walk, and put me on a footpath across the fields, 

 by which I might save a considerable distance on the 

 way to Saffron Walden, where I proposed to spend 

 the sabbath. After giving me minute directions as to 

 the course I was to follow, he bade me good-bye, and 

 I proceeded on at a brisk pace through fields of wheat 

 and clover, greatly enjoying the scenery, the air, and 

 exercise. Soon I came to a large field quite recently 

 ploughed up clean, footpath and all. Seeing a gate at 

 each of the opposite corners, I made my way across the 

 furrows to the one at the left, as it seemed to be more 

 in the direction indicated by my host. There the path 

 was again broad and well-trodden, and I followed it 

 through many fields of grain yellowing to the harvest, 

 until it opened into the main road. This bore a little 

 more to the left than I expected, but, as I had never 



