66 . WAYFARING NOTIONS 



been seen on them, nor a turf moved to get the 

 stones away, and, I may add, spoil the going.) 

 Villages here and there, detached farms or solitary 

 barns with walled yards for lambing, also sheep 

 and shepherds and shepherds' dogs, were details 

 about which most people, old and young, did not 

 bother. They ''occurred," but were not un- 

 pleasant nor worth objecting to. Goodwood, 

 Brighton, and Lewes's race-stands might want 

 some explaining away to keep the notion of 

 freedom quite entire ; but then, also after a 

 fashion, they were evidences of the tract on which 

 their racing was held being a playground open 

 to all. 



About the only obstacle you ordinarily found 

 in miles of walking or riding would be a sheep- 

 fold, and that would not interfere with you much, 

 because such were pitched in sheltered hollows, 

 and anyone who knows how to get about downs 

 is aware that the wise man never thinks of going 

 into the bottoms if he can possibly make his way 

 round on the tops. When some of us began to 

 give the ranges a tone by our presence, their 

 green spurs abutting on the towns were not of 

 much value. One need not have lived many 

 years to recollect when they began at the bottom 

 of Elm Grove in Brighton and the Queen's Park 

 Cricket Ground was an encroachment on their 

 area. Thence the turf was unbroken from the 

 town to Palmer on the one hand, and to Rotting- 

 dean and Newhaven on the other, and when rifle- 

 ranges were proposed to be, and subsequently 

 were, set up in the valley under White Hawk 

 Hill, where the races are held, not a few locals 

 were unpatriotic enough to grudge them to the 

 volunteers just enrolled. Objection was based 



