98 Saddle and Sirloin. 



the hills was won at last, and the holly berries near 

 Buttermere Church (which has been built afresh, and 

 has been duly cut and scribbled upon by tourists) 

 foretold Christmas Eve. Hollies also formed quite a 

 dark emerald parapet to a hand-bridge, as we followed 

 the side of the lake. The Scotch firs were mirrored 

 in its waters ; and as the bitter wind went through 

 them, and mingled its sigh with the roar of the water- 

 falls, it seemed as if we had come to the shore of a 

 dreary, unknown sea, which breaks eternally on the 

 shingle, and never ebbs or flows. There was a snug 

 home amid trees and shrubs, with some well-to-do 

 wethers in its meadow, and then, again, there was 

 nothing but dark waters and a leaden lack-lustre sky, 

 while the comment of a native, " We've no com — only 

 a few acres for taties" made things seem drearier still. 



Mr. Nelson lives at Gatesgarth, at the head of the 

 lake. Knights of the Garter sit with their banners 

 over their stalls, and this celebrated breeder of Herd- 

 wicks is somewhat in the Windsor-Chapel fashion. 

 Three beams and the cornices of his best parlour are 

 covered with the prize-cards and rosettes of victories, 

 which he has won in the show-yards during six-and- 

 twenty years. There are some three hundred in all 

 with the blue and orange cards of the Newcastle 

 Royal, signed by " Brandreth Gzbbs." The rest have 

 been won principally at Cockermouth, Keswick, and 

 Whitehaven, and " I have had my share," as he 

 modestly says, " at Fell Dales." Red rosettes pre- 

 dominate, mingled with magenta ; Whitehaven sports 

 " true blue ;" and Keswick is faithful to the tricolour. 

 There is such a profusion of them, that " a year or 

 two have got missed, and thrown into cupboards 

 somewhere." The head of the departed tup, Thou- 

 sand-a-Year, was away at the curer's, and hence there 

 was nothing in the shape of still life, save that of a 

 frosty-nosed gimmer. 



Cumberland and Westmoreland, and a very small 



