AUGUST IN NORTH DEVON 



RED earth, red cows, and here and there 

 on the hill-sides a ploughed field glowing 

 red in the afternoon sunshine as we look out 

 of the train window near the top of the Taw 

 Valley, Exeter behind us, well on our way 

 to the North Devon coast ! Signs of heavy 

 rain everywhere: red puddles on the roads, 

 and a little brook with reddened waters cross- 

 ing and recrossing the railway line, swelling 

 gradually into a trout-stream flowing through 

 woodlands and fields, then into a salmon river, 

 and finally into a wide estuary. Past the ship- 

 yards and church tower of Barnstaple. On 

 the right the little narrow-gauge line wandering 

 away to Exmoor and Lynton ; on the left the 

 junction of Taw j and \ Torridge, just inside 

 the harbour bar that moaned to the wives 

 of Charles Kingsley's " three fishers " in the 

 great gale ; Bideford, Appledore, Instow, 

 Westward Ho !, and beyond them the bold 



