36 AN ANGLER'S HOURS m 



two feet and not on two ridiculous wheels. 

 Also there are soft mossy places for him to 

 sit down upon with primroses and dog- 

 violets for company, while he considers the 

 wonderful young green which the bushes 

 beside the road are timidly putting forth. 

 And while he sits the yellow-hammers, and 

 perhaps a squirrel, will come and look at 

 him and give him friendly greeting, as do 

 all things on Exmoor to him that comes in 

 a right leisurely spirit. Above all, the Exe 

 will talk to him from its bed below, and 

 will explain that, though here near Dul- 

 verton it is a considerable river, nearly as 

 big as its cousin Barle, and has its great 

 weirs almost worthy of Severn, and in these 

 weirs are the salmon, yet after he has gone 

 a few miles up he will find it but a small 

 stream, lively and clear as crystal, and ready 

 to talk to him the whole of the rest of the 

 way. Just here, however, it must leave 

 him, because it has to go and attend to its 

 weirs. 



For about a mile the river and the road 

 separate with the whole breadth of the 

 valley between them. Afterwards, as the 

 valley narrows they are never very far apart, 



