xiv] FIRST LITERARY EFFORTS 213 



particular is so very high-dried and hard as almost to defy the carver's 

 most strenuous efforts. The flavour is, nevertheless, at times very fine 

 when the palate gets used to it, though the appearance is far from 

 inviting, being about the colour and not far from the hardness of the 

 black oak table. They generally keep it in a large chest in oatmeal 

 (which was before mentioned). Often, when lodging at a little country 

 inn, have we, when just awake in the morning, seen one of the children 

 come stealthily into the room, open the lid of the huge chest, climb over 

 the edge of it, and, diving down, almost disappear in its recesses, whence, 

 after sundry efforts and strainings, he has reappeared, dragging forth 

 a piece of the aforesaid black beef, which is obtained thus early that it 

 may be soaked a few hours before boiling, to render it more submissive 

 to the knife. 



From the foregoing particulars it will be seen that these people live 

 almost entirely on vegetable food. When a cow or a pig is killed, for a 

 day or two they luxuriate on fresh meat ; but that is the exception, not 

 the rule. Herrings, too, they are fond of as a relish, as well as cockles 

 and other indigestible food ; but neither these nor the beef and bacon 

 can be considered to be the staple food of the peasantry, which is, 

 in one form or another, potatoes, oatmeal, bread, cheese, and milk. 



The great consumption of oatmeal produces, as might be expected, 

 cutaneous diseases, though, generally speaking, the people are tolerably 

 healthy. They have a great horror of the doctor, whom they never send 

 for but when they think there is some great danger. So long as the 

 patient is free from pain they think all is right. They have not the 

 slightest idea of what an invalid ought to eat. If gruel is ordered, they 

 make a lumpy oatmeal pudding, to which, however, the sick man will 

 frequently prefer bread and cheese. When they have gone on in this 

 way till the unhappy individual is in the greatest danger and the medical 

 attendant insists upon his directions being attended to, they unwillingly 

 submit ; and if the patient dies, they then impute it entirely to the doctor, 

 and vow they will never call him in to kill people again. 



As in most rural districts, by constant inter-marriages every family 

 has a host of relations in the surrounding country. All consider it their 

 duty to attend a funeral, and almost every person acquainted with the 

 deceased attends as a mark of respect. Consequently the funerals are 

 very large, often two or three hundred persons, and when the corpse has 

 to be carried a distance, most of them come on horseback, which, with 

 the varied colours of the women's dresses and the solemn sounds of a 

 hymn from a hundred voices, as they wend their way along some lonely 

 mountain road, has a most picturesque and interesting effect. This large 

 company generally meet at the house, where provisions are ready for all 

 who choose to partake of them. The well-known beautiful custom of 

 adorning the graves with flowers and evergreens is much practised. 



When a birth takes place in a family all the neighbours and relations 

 call within a few days to inquire after the health of the mother and child, 

 and take a cup of tea or bread and cheese, and every one brings some 



