138 WAYFARING NOTIONS 



straight line to the lights of Esher Station. You 

 can keep on grass almost all the way to Claygate, 

 and shortly after strike across the Common, which, 

 so far as general enjoyment goes, the golfers have 

 managed to withdraw from popular circulation ; 

 continue through Lord Foley's park, and thence 

 on several different lines into Epsom by way of 

 its Common, where steeplechases used to be run ; 

 past Clay Hill, where Eclipse passed the earlier 

 years of his stud life ; and once in the town — well, 

 all roads lead to the Downs, but some are mighty 

 twisty. 



A long journey, you say. Well not so long. 

 If it is nine miles, and if you can spare the time, 

 how may you spend it better, given fine weather ; 

 and I defy you to find a pleasanter resting-place 

 after the return journey than just about Hamp- 

 ton Court, in the cool of the evening, or early in 

 the morning before breakfast, paddling on the 

 river or ranging the park among the deer, or 

 strolling in the Palace gardens, which are most 

 beautifully kept up, and seem scarcely appreci- 

 ated at all. Good business? It is good 

 business indeed in the summer weather, or spring 

 for that matter. To begin with Molesey, there 

 song sends you to sleep in the Mitre overnight, 

 and wakes you up in the morning. First of all 

 you become aware of a paddling, scuttering sort 

 of noise — ducks busy in the shallow waters of a 

 little creeklet under Hampton Court Bridge, and 

 then a good deal of quacking and wing-flapping. 

 You don't need get out of bed to see what is 

 going on amongst this industrious family party ; 

 but next comes an arousing diversion, by reason 

 the man on the horse and the man on the barge 

 being towed up against the stream differing on 



