CHAPTER IX 



THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SHELDRAKE 



At the head of the Cheddar valley, a couple of 



miles from the cathedral city of Wells, the 



Somerset Axe is born, gushing out noisily, a 



mighty volume of clear cold water, from a cavern 



in a black precipitous rock on the hillside. This 



cavern is called Wookey Hole, and above it the 



rough wall is draped with ivy and fern, and many 



small creeping plants and flowery shrubs rooted 



in the crevices ; and in the holes in the rock the 



daws have their nests. They are a numerous 



and a vociferous colony, but the noise of their 



loudest cawings, when they rush out hke a black 



cloud and are most excited, is almost drowned 



by the louder roar of the torrent beneath — the 



river's great cry of liberty and joy on issuing 



from the blackness in the hollow of the hills into 



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