292 THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR ' FARM. 



garded, I think. So I shall indulge the land's humour 

 to its utmost bent. 



I have had several strangers lately to inspect my 

 piers and their success. They are universally approved, 

 and will be copied in each case. Now that the water- 

 volume is shrunk in the river-course, the heav}^, broad, 

 rounded banks of washed-up gravel are clearly discerni- 

 ble, having filled several deep holes to the brim. There 

 was but little damage done by the strong winter floods, 

 excepting to the one which stood somewhat lonely, on 

 a clay bottom, nor has that suffered since I erected a 

 second, at about thirty yards' interval, to relieve the 

 strain at that point, there being thereon, when the tor- 

 rent is full, a tremendous blow of accumulated billows. 



Grand is it to get your hay cut in the early morning. 

 My machine was busy at four to-day, and the swathes 

 (light enough, certainly) are already half withered, while 

 the horses, having finished for the day, are (it is not 

 noon) reposing quietly, after a fill of vetches. Sleeping 

 in the sun with wet stockings on is good for the nether 

 limbs of neither man nor grass. 



As I went to inspect the crop last evening, I heard 

 over the hedge a peculiar cry of evidently a nursing 

 mother, somewhat resembling the turkey's, somewhat the 

 brown owl's. For some time I watched vainly, until sud- 

 denly it ceased, she having caught, I fancy, a glimpse 

 of me across the lane. Yet an infantine wailing went 

 on ; and on my descending through the gap I found a 

 little nigger of a bird, fresh hatched, which bit my 

 finger resolutely, and covered my hand with oil. I dis- 

 covered then it was the offspring of a landrail, and, as 

 it would be deserted, took it home to the children, 

 who deposited it amongst some young pheasants newly 



