66 WATERSIDE SKETCHES. 



morning not a breath of wind ruffled its greenish waters, 

 and a couple of troutlets a' hundred yards up stream, gently 

 rising at a frisky midge, covered the whole surface with 

 concentric circles. The trees and bushes in full leaf were 

 repeated in the glassy water. North and south alike, the 

 scenery is of the most fascinating description even here, 

 where the Dart, having pursued its devious way from 

 distant uplands, seems to pause for a brief interval of re- 

 pose and thought before entering upon that magnificent,, 

 sweeping, more dignified course through the South Hams 

 to the sea at Dartmouth, The Devonshire people are 

 proud to hear the Dart designated "The Rhine of the 

 West," and no unprejudiced voyager who has taken 

 steamer from the ancient town of Totnes to the almost 

 equally old seaport of Dartmouth will deny that the name 

 is deservedly applied. 



It is doubtless a very ill wind that blows good to no- 

 body, and our delay had given me, at least, the oppor- 

 tunity of taking a leisurely look at the landscape. The 

 railway guards and porters did their best to remedy the 

 mishap ; and in a surprisingly slMrt space of time we were 

 once more en rt)ute through the finest part of pastM'al 

 Devon. Every new prospect proves that it would be 

 almost impossible to praise it too highly. The great 

 officers of State take the Viceroys, Sultans, Shahs, and 

 Czars of the earth to see our soldiers and guns, our forts 

 and ships, our densely populated centres; but who evei- 

 heard of their being brought doAvn into this Eden? Surel.y 

 here was an aspect of the nation's life in which some, and 

 not a little, of its strength was indicated ! 



But who cared for emperors and kings? Here came 



